There are quite a few movies about cycling and the sport is still very popular. But it is a sport with a lot of controversy surrounding it and many sponsors have decided to stop investing in it because of the scandals. Things seem to have improved, but cycling does have an image of substance abuse, which is exactly what this HBO comedy makes fun of.
Writer Murray Miller previously wrote the bizarre 7 Days in Hell, which was a mockumentary about the adopted brother of the Williams sisters and his rivalry with another tennis player, which lead to the longest match ever. It was a bizarre movie which I didn’t find that funny. Miller also wrote this one, in which an impressive cast tells the fictitious and completely bizarre story of the 1982 tour in which only five riders were competing because of a doping scandal.
Andy Samberg, Orlando Bloom, Dolph Lundgren and John Cena are just a few of the actors appearing. Various cameos manage to surprise in a movie which doesn’t take itself seriously at any time. Whether or not cycling fans will be able to appreciate this I don’t know, but I really enjoyed it. The humour often is extreme, but because there are so many jokes a lot of them hit their mark. The fact that even an (in)famous cyclist agreed to appear stands out, especially because he makes fun of the sport itself. A mockumentary which is fun to watch.
This film was hilarious. Especially in how John Cena claims he uses Cheetah blood as they misinterpret him saying he was using Cheater’s blood. It also had some great usage of French New Wave techniques.
Yeah, it was really funny 🙂