‘Days of Thunder’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Kyle Brandt
March 18, 2025 · Days of Thunder (1990) · Action · Drama · Sport · 2:03:15 · ▶ Listen on Spotify
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Half-Assed Internet Research
Bill SimmonsSimpson/Bruckheimer had $300 million Paramount deal for 5 movies; budget officially $65 million but actually around $100 million; Don Simpson was at his craziest during 1990 production with excessive spending; this was the most sure-thing idea possible in 1990 - like 'Top Gun with race cars'▶ 6:13
Chris RyanProduction literally took over the city of Daytona with neon signs, producers lorded over the city like kings; movie idea came from Tom Cruise and Paul Newman doing charity race, Cruise got obsessed with racing; Robert Towne became Cruise's sensei for next 4-5 movies▶ 7:13
Kyle BrandtNothing today compares to the 'nitroglycerin effect' of Tom Cruise's run with Jerry Bruckheimer; NASCAR welcomed the production like a desperate league (compared to NHL welcoming Van Damme movie vs NFL rejecting Dark Knight Rises); Hans Zimmer is the GOAT composer and one of the stars of this movie▶ 8:39
Casting What-Ifs
Bill SimmonsKevin Costner — Discusses Hans Zimmer being brought in after Harold Faltenmeyer passed, and suggests Cole Trickle role could have been Kevin Costner instead of Tom Cruise▶ 13:39
Apex Mountain
Kyle BrandtNASCAR is apex mountain for sports that you have to be there in person to really enjoy▶ 29:39
Probably Unanswerable Questions
Bill SimmonsI like being peripherally near where the debauchery is happening, and I like hearing the stories after, but keep me out of the rooms. But I'm probably like Cruz.▶ 43:31
Kyle BrandtIs Cruz part of the decadence? If it's blow and women and party and all, is Cruz into that?▶ 42:06
Most Rewatchable Scene
Bill SimmonsCole's first scene - his introduction on motorcycle through smoke onto the track and confrontation with Rowdy▶ 49:04
Kyle BrandtCole's opening scene with Rowdy - the 'dick swinging contest' back and forth confrontation▶ 50:29
Butch's Girlfriend Award
Bill SimmonsThe middle 25 minutes of the movie craters - Rowdy's career ending injury storyline and every scene where Claire is mad at Cole▶ 1:16:51
Chris RyanThe crash happens too early in the movie - should have had more time with Cole racing in his prime before it becomes about CTE▶ 1:16:26
Kyle BrandtThe second half of the movie has too much talking - scenes of Duvall talking to the car and crews, not enough racetrack action▶ 1:16:02
Overacting Award
Bill SimmonsTom Cruise — Mentioned Tom Cruise and Cary Elwes as possibilities but didn't give a definitive pick▶ 1:28:11
Chris RyanRobert Duvall — Robert Duvall's crazy laugh, specifically when he does the ice cream thing and laughs at Cruz▶ 1:28:22
Stephen A. Smith Hottest Take Award
Bill SimmonsThis movie is way better if Cole Trickle is just Brian Flanagan, and it's called Cocktail 2 Days of Thunder - making it a sequel where Brian Flanagan has gotten divorced, given up the bar business, and moved into racing▶ 1:32:40
Dion Waiters Award
Bill SimmonsLeilani Sarelle — Leilani Sorrell (the stripper police officer, aka Roxy from Basic Instinct) as the winner, with Fred Thompson as runner-up▶ 1:37:32
Chris RyanFred Thompson — Discussed Fred Thompson's performance, calling him 'always reliable' but 'mildly racist'▶ 1:37:20
Kyle BrandtLeilani Sarelle — Emphasized the importance of Leilani Sorrell's scene, calling it 'fully erotic' and significant for young viewers▶ 1:38:26
Is There a Better Title?
Bill SimmonsSuggested 'Daytona' and 'Dropping the Hammer' as alternatives, criticizing 'Days of Thunder' as incoherent and corny, but concluded they couldn't find a better answer▶ 1:39:21
Chris RyanSuggested 'Checkered Flag' and referenced F1 movie just being called 'F1', but admitted he didn't know what the answer was▶ 1:39:44
Kyle BrandtCalled 'Days of Thunder' terrible and said it sounds like a storm movie or Twister, but didn't offer a definitive alternative▶ 1:39:56
Is This Movie Better With
Chris RyanDaniel Plainview (DB) - doing a threatening scene about Cole's girlfriend and racing▶ 1:50:03
Kyle BrandtWilford Brimley — Wilford Brimley in The Firm - threatening Cole about compromising photos of him with a stripper▶ 1:50:29
Just One Oscar
Bill SimmonsHans Zimmer — Suggested Hans Zimmer, then mentioned the movie was nominated for Best Sound and maybe that should win▶ 1:51:19
Chris RyanRobert Towne — Disagreed with Don Simpson's suggestion that Robert Towne should get an Oscar for the screenplay▶ 1:51:21
Coach Finstock Life Lesson
Kyle Brandtrubbing is racing - sometimes there's going to be some shit that happens, but that's life▶ 1:55:22
Best Double Feature
Kyle BrandtFar and Away — Days of Thunder, Far and Away, and Eyes Wide Shut (Nicole Kidman trilogy - broke rules to do triple feature)▶ 1:55:36
Who Won the Movie
Bill SimmonsRobert Duvall — Robert Duvall (1A) and Tony Scott (1B) - Duvall saves it from being a bad movie▶ 1:56:26
Kyle BrandtTom Cruise — Tom Cruise - 'Cruz is just such a one seed that's hard to knock off'▶ 1:55:59
Movies Referenced (48)
| Title (year) | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Top Gun (1986) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 19 | Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt, Chris Ryan | ▶ 4:01 |
| Eyes Wide Shut (1999) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 7 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Kyle Brandt | ▶ 17:44 |
| Carrie (1976) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 12:08 |
| Crimson Tide (1995) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 41:58 |
| The Beach (2000) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 57:41 |
| A Few Good Men (1992) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt | ▶ 1:08:49 |
| Basic Instinct (1992) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:37:41 |
| Bad Boys (1995) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 41:58 |
| Beverly Hills Cop (1984) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | ▶ 41:36 |
| Chef (2014) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:36:19 |
| Edge of Tomorrow (2014) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 18:14 |
| Far and Away (1992) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt | ▶ 17:28 |
Directors Referenced (11)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tony Scott | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 30 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Kyle Brandt | Unstoppable, True Romance | ▶ 4:25 |
| Michael Mann | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons | The Insider, Collateral, The Last of the Mohicans | ▶ 16:34 |
| Jim Rome | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt | The Longest Yard, Space Jam | ▶ 31:03 |
| Chris Corner | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | The Saint, Open Your Eyes | ▶ 0:19 |
| Kevin Costner | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | Dances with Wolves, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves | ▶ 9:39 |
| Paul Thomas Anderson | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt | Punch-Drunk Love, Licorice Pizza, There Will Be Blood | ▶ 1:07:35 |
| Cameron Crowe | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Kyle Brandt | Almost Famous, Jerry Maguire, Vanilla Sky | ▶ 1:26:43 |
| Chris Jones | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Kyle Brandt | ▶ 2:00:56 | |
| Mel Gibson | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Kyle Brandt | Braveheart, Lethal Weapon 3, Conspiracy Theory | ▶ 1:32:21 |
| Quentin Tarantino | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, From Dusk Till Dawn | ▶ 44:46 |
| Stanley Kubrick | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Chris Ryan | A Clockwork Orange, Barry Lyndon | ▶ 1:29:03 |
Actors Referenced (96)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tom Cruise | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 82 | Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt, Chris Ryan | Top Gun, Minority Report | ▶ 3:14 |
| Don Simpson | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 45 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Kyle Brandt | Days of Thunder, Beverly Hills Cop, The Rock | ▶ 5:06 |
| Nicole Kidman | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 31 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Kyle Brandt | ▶ 5:16 | |
| Michael Rooker | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 21 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Kyle Brandt | Guardians of the Galaxy | ▶ 11:36 |
| Bill Paxton | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 16 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Kyle Brandt | Aliens, Apollo 13 | ▶ 2:40 |
| Robert Duvall | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 12 | Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt, Chris Ryan | The Judge | ▶ 11:10 |
| Hans Zimmer | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 11 | Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt | Gladiator, Interstellar | ▶ 4:26 |
| Russ Wheeler | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 10 | Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt, Chris Ryan | Cocoon | ▶ 48:38 |
| Crazy Town | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 9 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | Something's Gotta Give | ▶ 0:35 |
| Randy Quaid | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 9 | Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt | Independence Day, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation | ▶ 12:15 |
| Richard Petty | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 7 | Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons | Cars 3 | ▶ 17:10 |
| Val Kilmer | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Kyle Brandt, Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | The Doors, The Saint, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang | ▶ 1:05:39 |
Writers Referenced (7)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robert Towne | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 13 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Kyle Brandt | Chinatown, Mission: Impossible | ▶ 35:40 |
| Jerry Bruckheimer | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 11 | Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt | Top Gun: Maverick, Armageddon | ▶ 6:03 |
| Andy Greenwald | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 2:07 | |
| Danny McBride | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Kyle Brandt | Underworld | ▶ 1:35:44 |
| David Milch | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:41:57 | |
| James Cameron | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Kyle Brandt | Avatar, Aliens, Terminator 2: Judgment Day | ▶ 21:28 |
| Roger Ebert | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 44:17 |
Cinematographers Referenced (1)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ward Russell | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Chris Ryan | The Last Boy Scout, The X Files, Top Gun | ▶ 15:43 |