Cars (2006)
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The story
In a world populated entirely by anthropomorphic vehicles, a young self-obsessed racecar named Lightning McQueen is competing in the high-stakes Piston Cup season. While attempting to reach the most important race of his life, he becomes stranded in the forgotten town of Radiator Springs along U.S. Route 66. There, he is forced to contend with the local residents and a stern judge, Doc Hudson. To earn his freedom and get back on the road, McQueen must perform community service and learn to navigate the challenges of the small town, ultimately forcing him to reevaluate his priorities and his attitude toward the competition ahead.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In a world of anthropomorphic vehicles, Lightning McQueen is a talented but arrogant rookie racing for the Piston Cup. After a mishap on the interstate, he ends up in Radiator Springs, Arizona, and is sentenced by Doc Hudson to repave the road he damaged. During his stay, he befriends local characters like Tow Mater and Sally Carrera, and learns about the town's decline after being bypassed by the interstate. He also discovers Doc's secret past as the legendary Fabulous Hudson Hornet. When the media finds him, he is forced to leave for the tiebreaker race at Los Angeles International Speedway. During the race, his friends from Radiator Springs arrive as his pit crew. When Chick Hicks intentionally damages the veteran racer Strip 'The King' Weathers, McQueen stops to help the King cross the finish line. Though Chick wins the Piston Cup, the crowd praises McQueen's sportsmanship. McQueen declines a lucrative sponsorship to stay loyal to his current team and returns to Radiator Springs to establish his racing headquarters, helping to revitalize the community.
- First release year
- 2006
- Runtime (minutes)
- 116
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- John Lasseter
- Writers
- Dan Fogelman · screenplay; John Lasseter · screenplay; Joe Ranft · screenplay; Kiel Murray · screenplay; Phil Lorin · screenplay; Jorgen Klubien · screenplay; John Lasseter · story; Joe Ranft · story; Jorgen Klubien · story
- Cast and characters
- Paul Newman · Doc Hudson; Owen Wilson · Lightning McQueen; Bonnie Hunt · Sally Carrera; Larry the Cable Guy · Tow Mater; Tony Shalhoub · Luigi; Cheech Marin · Ramone; Michael Keaton · Chick Hicks; Richard Petty · Strip "The King" Weathers
- Genres
- animated; sports; comedy
- Themes
- friendship; community; loyalty
- Tone and mood
- heartfelt; humorous
- Premise and plot tags
- anthropomorphic; road trip; sports
- Franchise connections
- Cars
- Reception
- The film received generally positive reviews and was a commercial success, becoming the sixth-highest-grossing film of 2006.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 74% · scale: percentage · review count: 199; Metacritic · score: 73 · scale: 100 · review count: 39; CinemaScore · score: A · scale: A+ to F
- Awards and nominations
- Annie Award · Best Animated Feature · win; Golden Globe Award · Best Animated Feature Film · win; Academy Award · Best Animated Feature · nomination; People's Choice Awards · Favorite Family Movie · win
- Production trivia
- The film was inspired by John Lasseter's cross-country road trip.; The film was dedicated to Joe Ranft, who died during production.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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