First-Time "Dude, Where's My Car?" Review 25 Years Later

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5 days ago

On December 15, 2000, the world was graced with Dude, Where's My Car?, a stoner comedy starring Ashton Kutcher and Seann William Scott.
I was seven years old when this film hit theaters, so I figured what better time than right now, nearly 25 years later, to watch it for the first time while it's streaming on Hulu. Enjoy this ride with me. I guess we're walking since we don't have a car...dude.
I'm in the opening credits and already very confused. The terrible CGI ostriches really scream early 2000s comedy. Hey, it's a stoner comedy, so I'm sure there will be more psychedelic rule-breaking throughout the film, but it's already less grounded than I thought it would be.
If I lie and pretend that I watched this whole movie, would you keep it a secret for me? OK I'll admit: The part where their "friend" went back into the closet like it was his bedroom got a chuckle out of me.
So, this is going to be The Odyssey meets Dumb & Dumber. Or maybe just Dumb & Dumber for stoners. It's not UNFUNNY so far, just very...very...very dumb 2000s humor.
Ten minutes into the film, and we've got dog stoner humor. However much money Jackyl the dog is getting paid, it's not nearly enough.
This movie is like if Pee-wee Herman's Big Adventure had the "I know you are, but what am I" joke three different times in the first 15 minutes. And I know the one "Dude/Sweet" joke from the movie trailer is still to come. My God. I feel like I'm losing my mind.
Oh boy. Dated trans jokes aside, the plot fails to capture the same level of interest as The Hangover. The whole mystery of "where the car is" really isn't that interesting. Even Dumb and Dumber, with their trip to Aspen, felt more like something was happening.
"Go ahead and laugh." I wish I could. What is this movie? I almost thought the opening credits weren't interstellar themed, because the alien posters at the opening were great planting and payoff.
Here we go...
Some celeb cameos to distract us from the fact that the dudes now have a car. Does the other one matter to the plot anymore? Does life matter anymore? WHAT IS HAPPENING?
Okay, their commitment to kissing each other to outdo the car next to them sent me. Honestly, very subversive for a comedy of this time.
The cop torturing the dummy and Chester coming to the dummy's defense got a legitimate laugh from me. Very stupid. Very funny.
They found the car to go to the place they were already. It's amusing because they're stoners, but as a viewer, this is brutal to watch. This feels more like a sitcom episode than a movie. (So, it was a fake out. Somehow that's more annoying.)
I also just realized Tommy is Charlie O'Connell, Jerry O'Connell's brother. They both have that same O'Connell face.
Hey, it's as ridiculous as possible, but the alliance between Tommy and the Hot Chicks who are totally not aliens is at least pushing the plot forward.
Also, I didn't recognize Jennifer Garner earlier.
I guess this is where our heroes are at their lowest. A breakup. Back at their house. No car. And now, no twins.
I'll give the movie credit. At its most ridiculous, it's actually quite funny. But, dude, this alien stuff is really as unfunny as unfunny gets.
The pacing for this movie makes me want a nationwide ban on marijuana for screenwriters. That said, the whole fire extinguisher bit was right out of the Looney Tunes, and hilarious.
I'm losing my mind. The repetitive jokes are a stoner's bread and butter.
There are stakes. Kidnapped girlfriend(s) trope. But stakes. The "you can count on us," followed by groans, was another chuckle out of me.
The velociraptor-like llamas are very funny. They resemble ostriches—very 2000s physical comedy. For the sake of my health, I'm gonna act like they didn't do the same repetition joke...again.
I might have to throw hands with my computer screen if they do another repetition joke. I am begging for this to end.
It's a sweet-looking arcade, unfortunately, there's a terrible 2000s movie happening inside.
Jennifer Garner is acting her heart out. I predicted the Rubik's Cube secretly being the Continuum Transfunctioner, but I don't feel proud of myself. Again, the movie has decent planting and payoff...but it is so all over the place.
End. I can't do it. I literally paused the movie. The only movie I recall that overuses the same joke format is Steve Martin's The Pink Panther. How can you use the same joke format more than five times in an 80-minute movie? I'm dead serious. There is nothing that can happen in the final 15 minutes that would get me to care...guess I'll watch it.
FINAL THOUGHTS: Dude, Where's My Car? had a ton of potential, but accepted what it was, which might have been a mistake. The jokes were there as well as the ridiculousness. That said, beyond the racial stereotypes, transphobia, and overall stoner humor, there was a film that probably couldn't make it to theaters today — not because it's controversial, but because it's simply not a good enough movie to deserve a theatrical release. As a brain-off streaming pick? I can't deny that it's a fun ride down memory lane.
What are your thoughts on Dude, Where's My Car? Maybe I don't fully appreciate it as a non-stoner. Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Stream Dude, Where's My Car? on Hulu.