The Ballad of Ricky Bobby

Where: Theaters everywhere.

When: Opens today.

Rating: PG-13 for crude and sexual humor, language, drug references and brief comic violence.

Running time: 105 minutes.

Bottom line: Will Ferrell goes on the NASCAR circuit, with a strong comedic pit crew backing him up.

Comedian Will Ferrell and director Adam McKay, the guys who gave us "Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy," lampoon stock-car racing in "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby" -- and the lesson the boys learn from NASCAR is that how you start isn't as important as how you finish.

Ferrell plays Ricky Bobby, a none-too-bright Southern lad with two desires in life: to drive really fast and to impress his daddy (Gary Cole), who abandoned him as a child. Daddy's advice -- "If you ain't first, you're last" -- becomes Ricky's motto as he hits NASCAR stardom, supported by his best friend and perpetual No. 2, Cal Naughton Jr. (John C. Reilly).

For the first 45 minutes, the only joke co-writers Ferrell and McKay have is Ricky's dim-bulb arrogance and the trappings of winning: a big house, product endorsements, gold-digger wife Carley (Leslie Bibb) and two annoying sons (Houston Tumlin and Grayson Russell) named Walker and Texas Ranger. And for that 45 minutes, that's all the movie seems to offer: force-fed megadoses of Ferrell and endless product-placement jokes that play like an episode of MTV's "Cribs" filmed inside a Wal-Mart.

Eventually the script -- which, with all the improvised gags, few people seem to have read -- tosses in some semblance of a plot, in which Ricky loses his confidence (and other things) and must regain his racing mojo. It's at this point that Ferrell trades in Ricky's self-satisfied ignorance (a remnant of his wicked George W. Bush impersonation from "Saturday Night Live" days) and strains for a genuine emotion.

The movie's second half also gives Ferrell what he scarcely had at the beginning: funny performers playing off him. Among those who have shining moments are Jane Lynch ("The 40-Year-Old Virgin") as Ricky's no-nonsense mama, Sacha Baron Cohen ("The Ali G Show") as a gay French driver whose accent veers between Inspector Clouseau and Elmer Fudd, and especially the cute-as-a-button Amy Adams ("Junebug") as Ricky's loyal assistant. Even Reilly, the great character actor, gets over his comedy jitters and brings some warm laughs.

"Talladega Nights" isn't the best comedy this summer about stock-car racing (that honor goes to Pixar's "Cars"). But, contrary to what Ricky's daddy says, not being first doesn't mean it's last.

Contact Sean P. Means at movies@sltrib.com or 801-257-8602. Send comments about this review to livingeditor@sltrib.com.