Fast And Furious Versus Talladega Nights

The Fast and Furious versus Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby

Watching movies at night can be an enjoyable way to relax as well as get insight on different life styles and situations. Two movies I really enjoy watching are The Fast and Furious and Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby. These two movies have a lot of similarities, such as the common theme is about racing, the main characters work together, and in the end they find resolutions. Of course they also differ in many ways, such as the type of racing, the general audience, and their individual budgets. It can be said that these two films offer a great comparison of the different lifestyles associated with racing, however both offer wildly, entertaining visuals, original comedy, and an action packed thrill ride that will have you wanting to "GO FAST!!"

These two movies have a common theme about high performance racing, team work, and finding a
resolution. In both films we can see the two main characters are fighting a battle together, against one main opponent. In Fast and Furious, the two main characters are Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel), a high performance vehicle mechanic and street racer, and Brian O 'Conner (Paul Walker), an undercover LAPD officer. Dominic and Brian collaborate to infiltrate the world of street racing, fend off street gangs, and form an alliance to help each other against the crimes of cutthroat Johnny Tran (Rick Yune), Dominic 's long standing racing rival, and his hostile gang. Much like the theme in Fast and Furious, Talladega Nights also has two main characters, Ricky Bobby (Will Ferrell) a NASCAR driver who "wants to go fast" and Cal Naughton, Jr. (John C. Reilly), his best friend and team mate. Ricky and Cal team up as drivers for Dennit Racing when additionally are faced with opposition from a new flamboyant French Formula One race car driver, Jean Girard (Sacha Baron Cohen). In both films the main characters are forced to race against their opponents and in the end, bask in glory over a well deserved race win.

The Fast and Furious and Talladega Nights are two movies that are about the adrenaline packed world of racing.
However the two styles of racing are very different. In Fast and Furious, the settings of the races are at gatherings, where street gangs battle over who has the fastest car, while trying to outwit the law. Fast and Furious focuses on the lifestyle of the street racers. The races are fuelled by adrenaline, sexual tension, vendettas, and raw, out-of-control speed. The crowds cheer, howl, and cajole each other while presiding over the hungry roar of engines, and NOS-injected muscle cars, all set to test the limits. The settings for Talladega Nights are multiple NASCAR racetracks such as the Texas Motor Speedway, the Charlotte Motor Speedway, and the Talladega 500. In the film Talladega Nights, the main character Ricky Bobby is out to reclaim his fame as NASCAR champion after a frightful race accident driving his #26 Wonder Bread car. Talladega Nights offers a look into the racetrack and home life style of a NASCAR
driver.

These two films would be best suited for a mature audience, that enjoys fast cars, action, and comedy. Fast and Furious is an action-packed film that offers comic relief subtly, while maintaining its ' focus on the dramatic, gratifying thrill of racing and pursuit of justice for two strong-willed men. Vin Diesel and Paul Walker take this movie to a more serious depth with language, violence, and criminal acts, as well as portray the private lives of two troubled men who love speed. However, contrary to that of Fast and Furious, Talladega Nights is a cleaner family-friendly action-packed movie as well as a satirically, clever comedy. Talladega Nights offers a less serious approach to racing and focuses more on the humor aspect of the film about two friends in pursuit of glory. By portraying the family aspect of Ricky Bobby, we have a closer appreciation for the home lives of the characters and can more easily relate to the humor there in. These two films are definitely worth watching and rewatching, if you enjoy high performance racing, a good laugh, and a look into the different life styles associated with racing.

The individual ratings, budgets, and profits for these two films was very close. The "Rebel Without a Cause" film, Fast and Furious had a budget of $38 million, a world wide box office total sales of $207,283,925, and a first week premier total sales of $40,089,015. Fast and Furious also produced sequels, video games, toys, and model kits after the production hit box office. However, with a five-star rating, Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby was just as close, with a budget of $72.5 million, a world wide box office total sales of $162,966,177, and a first week premier total sales of $47,042,215. Talladega Nights did not produce any further films or toys there after. Each of the films rang a rating of #1 film at the box office, as well as shared positive reviews on Rotten Tomatoes. Both films proved successful with audiences world wide.

In comparing these two films, it 's at the viewer 's discretion and preference to which they would enjoy more. I personally enjoyed the humor of Talladega Nights more, as I love Will Ferrell, the actor and main character in the film. Being that the two movies have a lot of commonalities and differences, we can appreciate the filmography of both movies. This helps us understand how the directors focus on different aspects of the movie which make it beneficial for viewers that seek certain genres and themes in films. These two films serve as great entertainment as well as insight into the different worlds of racing and leave you craving more high-speed, adrenaline-packed, heart-pounding race footage.

References: The Fast and Furious film 2001. Directed by, Rob Cohen Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby film 2006. Directed by, Adam McKay