Reel Critics

Clem Dominguez

“Rat Race” is by far the funniest comedy of the summer. I laughed from

beginning to end. Five years ago this story would have been pure fiction.

But with reality TV now the in thing, we’re sure to see a knock off of

this idea very soon.

The story is about six people chosen at random at a casino to race to

a small town in New Mexico. Each is given a key that opens a locker that

is located in the train station. The prize is $2 million all stuffed

neatly in a red duffel bag. There are no rules, just get there first.

The architect of the give away contest is the flamboyant casino owner

Donald Sinclair (John Cleese). After first telling them they’re the last

hope of saving the earth, they’re a little skeptical he’s on the level

about the race.

But once one person decides to leave, the others follow in hot pursuit

and the race is on.

The casting is great. Whoopi Goldberg plays a mom newly reunited with

her uptight and demanding daughter. Their journey has many obstacles

including an off-road encounter with an eccentric Kathy Bates.

Amy Smart is a helicopter pilot recruited into the chase by her love

interest in Nick Schaffer (“Road Trip”). He is a conservative attorney

who soon learns to unwind with this fun loving extremely jealous beauty.

Cuba Gooding Jr. is a scorned football referee looking to remain

anonymous.

There’s Jon Lovitz, his wife and two children. He’s a closet gambler

who try’s to keep the reason for going to New Mexico secret.

Then we have the two con artist brothers. Duane Cody of “Austin

Powers” fame and his brother who can barely talk because of a

self-installed tongue piercing.

And we have Rowan Atkinson, who plays a Charlie Chaplain type

character visiting from Italy. He runs into, Wayne Knight (Seinfeld’s

Newman), so to speak.

I liked so many of the situations the contestants get themselves into,

that it’s hard to pick the best.

As contestants arrive at the train station I actually felt sad the

movie was ending. I thought how could they possibly end this without

ruining it. But the ending was surprising, uplifting and resolved

everything nicely.

* CLEM DOMINGUEZ, 57, is an aspiring screenwriter and film fanatic.