HOT TUB TIME MACHINE

The performances rise above the material in this rough-hewn debut experiment by a filmmaker who still needs to master the form of his chosen genre before he steps behind the camera again. Cole Smithey.

Considering that John Cusack produced this lackluster comedy romp wherein three fortysomething buddies travel back to their '80s era heyday of sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll, "Hot Tub Time Machine" should at least feature some cool music a la "High Fidelity."

But instead of the Lords of the New Church, we get Poison and Motley Crue.

Blech.

After their buddy Lou (Rob Corddry) tries to off himself in his garage, recently separated Adam (John Cusack) and his pal Nick (Craig Robinson) take Lou and Adam's geeky nephew Jakob (Clark Duke) to the ski lodge scene of their youthful fantasies.

With a little help from a Russian energy drink their hotel room's hot tub transports them back to the bad old Reagan era where they have to repeat former mistakes in order to return to the modern times of e-mail, I-Phones, and even worse political times.

Chevy Chase is wasted in a minor role, as is Crispin Glover.

Homosexual hijinks and poorly executed slapstick punches and pratfalls attend this sloppy comedy that could have at least been made bearable with a soundtrack of cool music.

You'd think that Cusack never even heard of the Replacements or Iggy Pop.

Rated R. 93 mins.