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When the first round of trailers for Hot Tub Time Machine came out, I thought that it was just going to be another crappy movie that was being put out to make a quick buck.  The previews really lacked any laugh-worthy moments, and the cast seemed to be hurting just as much.  Another boring Friday night at the house seemed to turn into a trip to the movie theater pretty fast with Hot Tub Time Machine being my number one choice.  The only reason I really wanted to check it out was on a whim, and I was glad that I did.

The movie's plot is straightforward: four guys are partying in a hot tub when an accident sends them back to a weekend in the three older man's lives.  While back in time, they're supposed to follow the standard time travel rules, for instance doing everything as it happened  otherwise the future may changed forever.  What the movie does that's different from other time travel movies is that it breaks all those set rules that Hollywood established years ago.

While back in time, the three older men, Adam (John Cusack), Nick (Craig Robinson), and Lou (Rob Corddry), are in their younger bodies (but only to the people around them, not to the camera itself).  Adam's nephew Jacob (Clark Duke) gets dragged into the hot tub party after his uncle claims he spends way too much time on his laptop.  Although Jacob wasn't born at the time, he still keeps his original appearance, but his body seems to suffer from the occasional Back To The Future style fade in and fade out.  The gang gets in plenty of antics that keep you entertained the whole movie.

One of the parts that the older audience may appreciate is the movie's gratitude towards the 80's.  References to various 80's fashion, music, and lifestyles make this movie something for anyone alive during the 80's to love.  To top it off, Chevy Chase and Crispin Glover make enjoyable cameos in the movie.  Even if you weren't around during the 80's, you will enjoy the stupid humor this movie has to offer.  The film doesn't take itself seriously, and that's what makes it funny.

While I was skeptical at first about this movie, I am glad that I went and saw it.  I was laughing the entire movie, and the rest of the theater was full of snickers, snorts, and giggles.  The movie has a decent plot with an ending that is pretty unpredictable.  The acting itself isn't bad either, in fact, I'm hoping to see more of these actors in comedies soon.  While the movie wasn't as amazing as some other recent comedy films, I was definitely satisfied as I left the theater.  If you don't watch too much into it,  Hot Tub Time Machine is a surprisingly hilarious film that pretty much anyone with a sense of humor can enjoy.

-Dylan Newell