Today’s quick review: Rat Race. Donald Sinclair (John Cleese), a wealthy casino owner, has come up with a new way to entertain his high roller customers: a no holds barred race from Las Vegas to Silver City, New Mexico, with a prize of $2 million. The contestants, six strangers picked from Sinclair’s casino, must drive, fly, and cheat their way to Silver City while Sinclair’s wealthy gamblers follow their progress and place bets.
Rat Race is a madcap comedy with a simple premise and an ensemble cast. Rat Race follows a colorful cast of characters in their chaotic attempts to beat each other to the cash. Slapstick humor, wacky situations, and unlikely coincidences form the movie’s comedic backbone. Its decent script is backed by a talented cast that includes Whoopi Goldberg, Seth Green, Cuba Gooding, Jr., Jon Lovitz, Rowan Atkinson, and John Cleese.
Rat Race lives up to some, but not all, of its potential. The movie relies on a succession of individual gags to keep the viewer engaged, and these tend to be hit or miss. The situations often feel contrived, and the script tends to go for the cheapest humor available. Rat Race scores enough hits to be an entertaining watch, but there is little in the way of plot, character development, or subtlety.
Watch Rat Race if you are in the mood for a light, straightforward, and chaotic comedy. Rat Race is missing the heart and thoughtfulness needed to be a great film, but it packs in enough humor to work as a popcorn watch. For a better take on the same basic premise, check out It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, a classic comedy with a smarter script, richer characters, and the patience it needs to make the most of its setup.
6.4 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 6.5 for a few good laughs with little real substance.