Leading Ladies: August 2006

Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby

Stars: Will Ferrell, Sacha Baron Cohen, John C. Reilly, Leslie Bibb, Michael Clarke Duncan, Amy Adams
Director: Adam McKay
Rating: PG-13

Most of the female critics agree this week that Ferrell's latest comic turn, as an over-the-top race car driver, results in one of the summer's most fun movies.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Eleanor Ringel Gillespie says, "The movie is as friendly, playful and unassuming as a puppy. The script has great fun with certain NASCAR cliches, but it never condescends to the sport or its fans."

The South Florida Sun-Sentinel 's Phoebe Flowers says it's "the rare comedy that manages to be funny and witty... this is basically exactly the movie it set out to be."

And The Hollywood Reporter's Sheri Linden says, "From its pitch-perfect title through just about every detail, this sendup of sports-triumph movies maintains the right parodic pitch," while USA Today's Claudia Puig says, "The jokes fire away and race by about as fast and furious as the souped-up cars do."

One critic who didn't have such a swell time at the movie was Washington Post's Teresa Wiltz, who says "Ferrell's a talented actor, but he's an actor who doesn't seem to trust himself enough to push past his comedic comfy zone."

Female consensus: It crosses the finish line a winner

next : Barnyard