Christopher Nolan's Favorite Comedy Is A Will Ferrell Movie You Might Not Expect
It has been an incredible week for Will Ferrell and Christopher Nolan, both of whom are reaping the rewards of the certifiable pop culture phenomenon known as "Barbenheimer." Part of the reason the simultaneous premieres of the Ferrell-starring "Barbie" and the Nolan-directed "Oppenheimer" became such an oft-memed talking point, of course, is that Nolan's oeuvre as a filmmaker is known for its intense gravitas and dark, emotionally heady storytelling. But don't let the portent of the British director's films fool you: At heart, Christopher Nolan is a goofball — one who's perfectly capable of enjoying a good Will Ferrell comedic performance, in fact.
Nolan himself revealed as much in a recent interview on "The Rich Eisen Show," in which he noted that he is a huge fan of comedy films, with a particular soft spot for one of the most beloved, most outrageous Will Ferrell vehicles: 2006's "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby." Asked by Eisen about his "remote drop" movies — i.e., ones that will always get him to drop the remote and watch until the end if he happens upon them while channel surfing — Christopher Nolan initially cited "anything by Kubrick," in rather on-brand fashion. But he then went on to add, "Some of the great comedies, too — 'Talladega Nights.' I'm never gonna be able to switch that off."
And if that swing from Stanley Kubrick to a NASCAR-themed Farrell-era Adam McKay satire seems jarring, that's because it very much is.
Christopher Nolan loves Talladega Nights
It's no news to any of Christopher Nolan's fans that he's a huge fan of Stanley Kubrick. Nolan has cited the exacting maestro of classics like "The Shining" and "2001: A Space Odyssey" as a beacon of inspiration for his model of personal, idiosyncratic, ambitious filmmaking within the parameters of commercial big-studio production.
On the other hand, it would appear that Nolan's love of "Talladega Nights" — a film made by Adam McKay back when he was still specializing in goofy, cartoon-esque studio comedies — is a brand-new revelation to the world of film. During the interview, a surprised Eisen asked Nolan to confirm what he'd just said, prompting the director to quote a classic line from the Will Ferrell film: "If you ain't first, you're last." Eisen then asked him whether Ferrell knew about Nolan's fondness for the film, and Nolan responded, "He does now!"
Adding to the fun of the reveal is the fact that "Talladega Nights" is a film to which Ferrell lends much of the same zany, over-the-top jerk energy that makes his "Barbie" antagonist such a hoot. Starring as cocky, dim-witted superstar driver Ricky Bobby, whose reign over NASCAR is threatened by the arrival of hotshot French newcomer Jean Girard (Sacha Baron Cohen), Ferrell revels in engendering laughs by eschewing viewer sympathy as only he can. Really, if Nolan adores that loving, gag-filled satire of the world of NASCAR racing so much, one can't help imagining he must also have dug "Barbie."