Movie Review: Dude, Where's My Car (2000)

The movie stars Ashton Kutcher, Seann William Scott, Jennifer Garner, Marla Sokoloff and Kristy Swanson.

When this movie first came out about 15 years ago, I honestly didn’t think it was a film I would enjoy and, when I did ultimately watch it, it was reluctantly. However, after seeing the movie, it quickly made my list of favorites and, ever since, has been a film I will make time to watch at least once each year.

The thing I found I really like about this film is, while the premise seems simple, the overall movie is surprisingly complex. Jesse (Kutcher) and Chester (Scott) discover, through a series of strange encounters, they are tasked with saving the world. But, since they have no memory of the night before, they have no idea who they are able to trust or even what the device they are supposed to be protecting (the Continuum Transfunctioner) looks like. Obviously, after seeing it the first time, some of that mystery will be lost. However, the movie still manages to be entertaining to watch even after that.

I also love the little surprises that pop up throughout the movie that manage to sidetrack the two friends. This includes the duo getting kidnapped by a alien-following cult (which, in itself, proves to be surprisingly resourceful at times) and being imprisoned by an ostrich farmer (Brent Spiner) that takes his work a little too seriously. Those, along with scenes involving a pushy speaker box at a Chinese restaurant and a fight over their tattoos, are what make the movie worth watching more than once.

The casting in this movie is also superb. The two stars work well together (I always thought Kutcher is much better in comedies than he is in more dramatic roles) and are strongly supported by a surprisingly long list of recognizable actors. This did help the film, at times, I think, simply because there was enough talent to make up for any weak parts of the script.

This is a movie that, from the description, honestly sounds too dumb to waste your time watching. However, as I learned the first time I watched it, it is also a film that will quickly surprise you and, because of that, is a movie I would recommend taking the time to watch at least once.

My Grade: A