The movie Christopher Nolan calls one of the “great comedies”
In modern cinema, few names carry the power quite like Christopher Nolan. The acclaimed director, fresh from the release of his latest spectacle, Oppenheimer, has a reputation for crafting narratives rich in depth and visually mesmerising sequences. From the intricate labyrinths of Inception to the brooding world of The Dark Knight, Nolan’s movies often reflect a cerebral intensity, making his most recent revelation all the more surprising.
As many cinephiles can attest, Nolan’s filmography is a masterclass in storytelling, weaving complex plots with striking realism. So when this revered director names a “remote drop” – those films that are irresistibly watchable whenever they appear on screen – one would naturally expect a title with gravitas. Yet Nolan’s pick, revealed during an appearance on The Rich Eisen Show podcast during his Oppenheimer press tour, might raise eyebrows. It’s not a cinematic classic from the annals of film history but a comedy classic from 2006 comedy.
Set in the high-octane world of racing, Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby charts the comic journey of a race car driver brought to life by Will Ferrell. The film, directed by Adam McKay, boasts a comedic cast including John C. Reilly and Sacha Baron Cohen, establishing a unique brand of 2000s humour that would then reach its zenith with the 2008 Ferrel/Reilly/McKay masterpiece, Step Brothers.
The movie is light-hearted and hilarious – perhaps not something one might not associate with the usual gravitas of a Nolan recommendation. Nevertheless, the director confirmed that he loved “some of the great comedies. Talladega Nights – I’m never gonna be able to switch that up”.
But Nolan’s choices for “remote drops” weren’t totally left-field. Alongside the comedic escapades of Ricky Bobby, Nolan also mentioned the works of the legendary Stanley Kubrick. “I mean, god, anything by [Stanley] Kubrick, you know? It’s a remote drop,” he admitted.
Long-time Nolan fans won’t be surprised by Nolan’s vocal praise of Kubrick, particularly his 1969 science-fiction epic, 2001: A Space Odyssey. His reverence for the film is so strong that he even played a major role in restoring a film print of it a few years back. Speaking to Entertainment Weekly about Kubrick’s movie, Nolan explained how he “felt this extraordinary experience of being taken to another world. You didn’t doubt this world for an instant. It had a larger-than-life quality”.
Regarding Talladega Nights, however, you wouldn’t be the only one surprised by Nolan’s affection for the Ferrell comedy. In disbelief, Eisen asked: “The Ballad of Ricky Bobby‘ is a Christopher Nolan mic drop movie?” To which Nolan quickly responded with, “If you ain’t first, you’re last,” referring to Rick Bobby’s favourite catchphrase. Perhaps it’s just me, but there is something infinitely comforting about knowing that the man who gave us Oppenheimer has a Will Ferrell comedy line locked and always loaded.
