Hot Rod

Rod Kimble, Andy Samberg, has spent his life believing his dead father was a successful and respectable stuntman who worked for Evel Knievel, and he longs to carve out the same legendary path. He craves the approval of his strict stepfather, Frank Ian McShane, a man who routinely belittles Rod and loves to win at sparring, treating his dream as a joke rather than a calling. Armed with a Tomos moped and a stubborn streak, Rod launches a string of bold but often comic misfires, each jump heightening the tension between aspiration and reality as he keeps pushing forward.

After yet another failed attempt at a public pool, Rod is hit with a harsher punch: Frank needs a heart transplant, and their health insurance won’t cover it. This revelation fuels Rod’s anger and determination, fueling a dramatic shift from personal glory to a mission: he will raise the money he believes Frank deserves. He tumbles into the woods, where a billboard’s message of possibility sparks a renewed plan. He quickly reconnects with loyal friends Rico and Dave and his half-brother Kevin, recruiting them to his high-stakes project, and Denise, his neighbor and love interest, joins the team Isla Fisher to help him chase a dream that feels almost too big to chase.

To get the word out and fund the stunt, Rod starts performing at parties, corporate events, and other gatherings, sealing his ideas with offbeat stunts like stuffing pillows into his suit or having a washing machine suspended by a crane swing to strike him. Momentum builds when Kevin shows Rod a video he edited from Rod’s training footage, and Rod’s ambition shifts from personal feats to a fundraising film. The screening turns messy: the audience laughs at the footage of his failures, and Rod ends up flinging the projector out the window and paying damages to avoid arrest. The setback stings, but a family secret shakes Rod’s confidence and makes him rethink what his quest really means: it’s not just about proving himself; it’s about proving to those who doubted him that he can fight for what matters. His mother reveals that his biological father was not the stuntman he believed, and Rod retreats from the plan. Yet Dave’s words plant a seed of reconciliation, steering Rod back toward Kevin’s project and the surprising truth that Rod’s footage has gained online traction, drawing the attention of a local AM radio show that offers to fund the jump’s expenses.

Rejuvenated, Rod brings his circle back together for the big undertaking. The crew outfits him with a fresh suit, a large rock symbolizing Rico’s explosive pyrotechnic work, and a motorbike ready for the challenge. Denise lends him support with a kiss, marking a renewed bond after their earlier separation. On the day of the jump, Rod’s speed carries him over the buses, but misfortune strikes when the motorbike crashes through a stage and launches into the air. He lands hard and experiences an out-of-body moment, yet wakes to a chorus of applause and a staggering total of donations that have climbed past $50,000. Six months later, Rod returns to spar with Frank and finally earns the respect he has sought for so long.

And as the credits roll, Rod is seen bowing to his moped as the sunset casts its glow over a now-fulfilled dream.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 10:30