1980’s cinema saw the birth of High Concept, where entire movies could be summed up in less than a sentence; Tom Cruise + big planes = Kerching! The new comedy from Steve Pink, co-writer of High Fidelity and Gross Pointe Blank returns to the decade with the ultimate in low concept. The plot does not even need explaining – the title says it all.

Childhood friends Lou (Rob Corddry), Nick (Craig Robinson) and Adam (John Cusack) are re-united after Lou attempts suicide.  With Adam’s nephew in tow, they return to their favourite teenage holiday destination, where an accident with a hot tub sends them back to their 80s heyday.

The film sums up how cinema and comedy has changed in 20 years. The decade is lovingly recreated, but rather than The Sure Thing tone of gentle humour and life lessons, it resembles a Judd Apatow comedy with expletives liberally filling the screenplay. There is nothing essentially wrong with this, except where a swear word is used to replace a joke.

The cast have an absolute ball and for a seemingly low grade comedy, it is a great deal smarter than most fare. The characters even try and follow the Butterfly Effect timeline, replicating exactly the events that they have already occurred, even if that means getting beaten up or cheating on your future wife.

Cusack is much more suited to this than the likes of 2012 and actually invests his character with some heart, while Robinson gets to say the line ‘this is some sort of hot tub time machine’ with a knowing look to camera.  Only people who got to ask for a ‘p’ please on Blockbusters will now how that feels! Corddry has an absolute blast – If Steve Stifler from American Pie ever grew into adulthood, this is how he would act.

Only occasionally does it appear that the cast are having more fun than the viewer and then the film comes across as smug. Crossing decades it may also struggle to find a genuine audience – teenagers may be left bewildered by the horrible fashion and 80’s in jokes, while the modern vernacular could put off the older generation.

However everyone should enjoy the performance of Crispin Glover (Back to the Future).  An armless bellhop in 2010, the source of his injury provides an ongoing laugh fest. He is the cameo equivalent of Scrat from Ice Age, nearly stealing the movie from the main cast.

Hot Tub Time Machine will not go down in the cult classic category with the likes of other Cusack films Gross Pointe Blank and Say Anything. However it is no Identity either, which can only be a good thing!