Fridae

The nostalgia industry seems to be rather active this year, with all the film remakes, sequels and adaptations of 80s serials popping up left and right. Even if it’s not an 80s-linked film, chances are the soundtrack has at least one or two 80s tracks in its key scene. Just like Back to the Future celebrated the 60s, it’s not that much of a surprise that Hot Tub Time Machine involves time travel to the 80s.

What’s surprising is that this film is an exact thematic copy of the 2007 Japanese science fiction comedy Bubble Fiction: Boom or Bust. There’s the wacky vehicle that facilitates time travel shenanigans (the Japanese version had people jumping into a washing machine!). There are the jokes about the fashion, music, and dating trends as they existed then (obviously bad and to be parodied), and of course, the gorgeous music of the past (obviously better than what we have now and to be enjoyed).

But while Bubble Fiction – and the science fiction genre in Japan in general – has appeal to both male and female audiences, Hot Tub Time Machine (and science fiction films in America) is pretty much a guy thing. This film has almost all the jokes and set-ups from its Japanese counterpart – but plays more as a male-bonding movie (expect raunchy jokes, nudity!) and at the same time referencing many 80s teen comedies.

As a situation comedy involving time travel, most of the gags here practically write themselves. There are however, three noteworthy things that made this film better than it should be: the buddy story about 3 washed up former buddies that is told without overshadowing the comedy; an impressive performance by Daily Show alumnus Rob Corddry as the funnyman of the film to John Cusack’s straight guy; and the crazy cameos in crazier sub-plots by Chevy Chase and Crispin Glover.