Hot Tub Time Machine is the latest entry in the recently popular raunchy buddy comedy genre, and though while offering occasional laughs, is not entirely successful. It is the story of three grown friends and one of their nephews who are all bored or in some way run down by their lives. After one attempts suicide, they decide to return to the now rundown resort where they shared so many good memories back in the day. Then they all share a hot tub, which transports them all back to 1986 and they have to decide how to act in the past considering its repercussions on the future, and also how to get backed. In addition to having a lot of the jokes go flat, I was surprised how much of this movie mirrored Back To The Future in so much that it borders on ripoff. Maybe it is meant to be more of a nod though to that time travel classic as BTTF actor Crispin Glover makes a funny appearance here. Though I liked the usually despicable John Cusack here, and think Craig Robinson is on his way and rightfully so the the top of the comedy world, there was just too much lacking here, and not enough originality to merit a full-fledged recommendation.
**1/2
