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‘Days of Thunder’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Kyle Brandt

March 18, 2025 · Days of Thunder (1990) · Action · Drama · Sport · 2:03:15

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Bill Simmons▶ 6:13Simpson/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'
Chris Ryan▶ 7:13Production 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
Kyle Brandt▶ 8:39Nothing 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

Casting What-Ifs

Bill Simmons▶ 13:39Kevin 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

Apex Mountain

Kyle Brandt▶ 29:39NASCAR is apex mountain for sports that you have to be there in person to really enjoy

Probably Unanswerable Questions

Bill Simmons▶ 43:31I 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.
Chris Ryan▶ 42:13He's in Scientology by this point
Kyle Brandt▶ 42:06Is Cruz part of the decadence? If it's blow and women and party and all, is Cruz into that?

Most Rewatchable Scene

Bill Simmons▶ 49:04Cole's first scene - his introduction on motorcycle through smoke onto the track and confrontation with Rowdy
Kyle Brandt▶ 50:29Cole's opening scene with Rowdy - the 'dick swinging contest' back and forth confrontation

Big Kahuna Burger Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:13:19Mellow Yellow just being a sponsor
Chris Ryan▶ 1:13:37The dinner scene with Fred Dalton Thompson when Cole goes for the crudité first
Kyle Brandt▶ 1:13:54Sweet and Low - double pack it into the thigh

Butch's Girlfriend Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:16:51The middle 25 minutes of the movie craters - Rowdy's career ending injury storyline and every scene where Claire is mad at Cole
Chris Ryan▶ 1:16:26The crash happens too early in the movie - should have had more time with Cole racing in his prime before it becomes about CTE
Kyle Brandt▶ 1:16:02The second half of the movie has too much talking - scenes of Duvall talking to the car and crews, not enough racetrack action

Overacting Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:28:11Tom Cruise — Mentioned Tom Cruise and Cary Elwes as possibilities but didn't give a definitive pick
Chris Ryan▶ 1:28:22Robert Duvall — Robert Duvall's crazy laugh, specifically when he does the ice cream thing and laughs at Cruz

Stephen A. Smith Hottest Take Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:32:40This 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

Dion Waiters Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:37:32Leilani Sarelle — Leilani Sorrell (the stripper police officer, aka Roxy from Basic Instinct) as the winner, with Fred Thompson as runner-up
Chris Ryan▶ 1:37:20Fred Thompson — Discussed Fred Thompson's performance, calling him 'always reliable' but 'mildly racist'
Kyle Brandt▶ 1:38:26Leilani Sarelle — Emphasized the importance of Leilani Sorrell's scene, calling it 'fully erotic' and significant for young viewers

Is There a Better Title?

Bill Simmons▶ 1:39:21Suggested 'Daytona' and 'Dropping the Hammer' as alternatives, criticizing 'Days of Thunder' as incoherent and corny, but concluded they couldn't find a better answer
Chris Ryan▶ 1:39:44Suggested 'Checkered Flag' and referenced F1 movie just being called 'F1', but admitted he didn't know what the answer was
Kyle Brandt▶ 1:39:56Called 'Days of Thunder' terrible and said it sounds like a storm movie or Twister, but didn't offer a definitive alternative

Best Quote

Kyle Brandt▶ 1:45:15I'm more afraid of being nothing than I am of being hurt

Is This Movie Better With

Bill Simmons▶ 1:51:08Tony Romo — Praised both responses and suggested Tony Romo as another option
Chris Ryan▶ 1:50:03Daniel Plainview (DB) - doing a threatening scene about Cole's girlfriend and racing
Kyle Brandt▶ 1:50:29Wilford Brimley — Wilford Brimley in The Firm - threatening Cole about compromising photos of him with a stripper

Just One Oscar

Bill Simmons▶ 1:51:19Hans Zimmer — Suggested Hans Zimmer, then mentioned the movie was nominated for Best Sound and maybe that should win
Chris Ryan▶ 1:51:21Robert Towne — Disagreed with Don Simpson's suggestion that Robert Towne should get an Oscar for the screenplay

Coach Finstock Life Lesson

Bill Simmons▶ 1:55:15I'm more afraid of being nothing than being hurt
Kyle Brandt▶ 1:55:22rubbing is racing - sometimes there's going to be some shit that happens, but that's life

Best Double Feature

Kyle Brandt▶ 1:55:36Far and Away — Days of Thunder, Far and Away, and Eyes Wide Shut (Nicole Kidman trilogy - broke rules to do triple feature)

Who Won the Movie

Bill Simmons▶ 1:56:26Robert Duvall — Robert Duvall (1A) and Tony Scott (1B) - Duvall saves it from being a bad movie
Chris Ryan▶ 1:56:07Tony Scott — Tony Scott (director) - makes every scene work and worth rewatching
Kyle Brandt▶ 1:55:59Tom Cruise — Tom Cruise - 'Cruz is just such a one seed that's hard to knock off'

Movies Referenced (53)

Top Gun (1986)

19 mentions · Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt, Chris Ryan▶ 4:01IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Eyes Wide Shut (1999)

7 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Kyle Brandt▶ 17:44IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Crimson Tide (1995)

4 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 41:58IMDb ↗Lb ↗

The Firm (1993)

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt▶ 17:28IMDb ↗Lb ↗

A Few Good Men (1992)

3 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt▶ 1:08:49IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Basic Instinct (1992)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 1:37:41IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Dead Calm (1989)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 11:20IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Heat (1995)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 0:43IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Nine Months (1995)

3 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons▶ 43:09IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Bad Boys (1995)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 41:58IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Beverly Hills Cop (1984)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 41:36IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Collateral (2004)

2 mentions · Chris Ryan▶ 49:57IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Directors Referenced (11)

Tony Scott

30 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Kyle Brandt · Known for Unstoppable, True Romance▶ 4:25IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Michael Mann

4 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for The Insider, Collateral, The Last of the Mohicans▶ 16:34IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jim Rome

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt · Known for The Longest Yard, Space Jam▶ 31:03IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Chris Corner

2 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for The Saint, Open Your Eyes▶ 0:19IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Kevin Costner

2 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Dances with Wolves, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves▶ 9:39IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Paul Thomas Anderson

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt · Known for Punch-Drunk Love, Licorice Pizza, There Will Be Blood▶ 1:07:35IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Cameron Crowe

1 mentions · Kyle Brandt · Known for Almost Famous, Jerry Maguire, Vanilla Sky▶ 1:26:43IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Chris Jones

1 mentions · Kyle Brandt▶ 2:00:56IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Mel Gibson

1 mentions · Kyle Brandt · Known for Braveheart, Conspiracy Theory▶ 1:32:21IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Quentin Tarantino

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, From Dusk Till Dawn▶ 44:46IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Stanley Kubrick

1 mentions · Chris Ryan · Known for 2001: A Space Odyssey, A Clockwork Orange, Barry Lyndon▶ 1:29:03IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Actors Referenced (95)

Tom Cruise

82 mentions · Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt, Chris Ryan · Known for Top Gun, Minority Report▶ 3:14IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Don Simpson

45 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Kyle Brandt · Known for Days of Thunder, Beverly Hills Cop, The Rock▶ 5:06IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Nicole Kidman

31 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Kyle Brandt · Known for Rabbit Hole▶ 5:16IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Michael Rooker

21 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Kyle Brandt · Known for Guardians of the Galaxy▶ 11:36IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Bill Paxton

16 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Kyle Brandt · Known for Aliens, Apollo 13▶ 2:40IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Robert Duvall

12 mentions · Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt, Chris Ryan · Known for The Judge, Tender Mercies▶ 11:10IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Hans Zimmer

11 mentions · Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt · Known for Gladiator, Interstellar▶ 4:26IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Russ Wheeler

10 mentions · Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt, Chris Ryan · Known for Cocoon▶ 48:38IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Crazy Town

9 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for Something's Gotta Give, Saving Silverman, Orange County▶ 0:35IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Randy Quaid

9 mentions · Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt · Known for Independence Day, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation▶ 12:15IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Richard Petty

7 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons · Known for Cars, Cars 3▶ 17:10IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Val Kilmer

6 mentions · Kyle Brandt, Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for The Doors, The Saint, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang▶ 1:05:39IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Writers Referenced (7)

Robert Towne

13 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Kyle Brandt · Known for Chinatown, Mission: Impossible, The Last Detail▶ 35:40IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jerry Bruckheimer

11 mentions · Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt · Known for Top Gun: Maverick, Armageddon▶ 6:03IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Andy Greenwald

1 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 2:07IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Danny McBride

1 mentions · Kyle Brandt · Known for Underworld▶ 1:35:44IMDb ↗Lb ↗

David Milch

1 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 1:41:57IMDb ↗Lb ↗

James Cameron

1 mentions · Kyle Brandt · Known for Avatar, Aliens, Terminator 2: Judgment Day▶ 21:28IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Roger Ebert

1 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 44:17IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Cinematographers Referenced (1)

Ward Russell

1 mentions · Chris Ryan · Known for The Last Boy Scout, The X Files, Top Gun▶ 15:43IMDb ↗Lb ↗