Though Charlie, whose full name is Charlie Bronson (named
after the British criminal, not the “Death Wish” star), had shown nothing but
love and support to his girlfriend beforehand, Annie is conflicted about
whether or not she could still love him after this startling truth is revealed.
In one of the more interesting scenes, Charlie wonders why she can’t just
disregard the past and accept the fact that he’s a changed man, reformed from
his criminal history. Good question. In the infinite gamut of emotional
hang-ups, where does the line between forgivably mild transgressions (a former
alcohol dependency) and complete deal-breaker territory (assisting in armed
robbery) start?
But unfortunately, interesting moments like these are rare
in the film. Instead, the big focus here is the wide, wide variety of souped-up
vehicles on display, most prominently a black ’67 Lincoln Continental fixed up
by Charlie and his old man back in the day. Yes, for the record, I had to look
up what kind of car it was just now. In my review of “Moneyball,” I sheepishly
confessed that I was exceedingly uneducated when it came to sports. Now I
suppose it’s only fitting for me to declare my embarrassing lack of enthusiasm
towards cars. Honestly, I don’t know what’s wrong with me.
However, “Moneyball” won me over with its superb script,
sharp direction and shining performances by Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill. In other
words, it didn’t take a baseball fanatic to fully appreciate it. Similarly, I
suspect motorheads won’t be the only audience members who enjoy “Hit &
Run,” but outsiders will certainly have less reason to hold on.
Dax Shepard and Kristen Bell’s adorable dynamic translates
to film quite nicely, but I feel too little time is spent developing their
character’s relationship. The domino effect of revelatory information leading
up to Charlie’s life of crime is triggered by Gil (Michael Rosenbaum), Annie’s
overprotective ex-boyfriend who immediately senses something sketchy about her
new squeeze. Gil’s brother, a gay police officer (Jess Rowland), is soon
requested for backup, and Randy (Tom Arnold), a U.S. Marshal with a short fuse,
risks his health and well-being (as well as his unassuming minivan) to protect
his friend Charlie. The final piece of the puzzle is Alexander Dimitri (Bradley Cooper, sporting dreadlocks that my sister tried growing several years ago),
one of Charlie’s old partners in crime who’s out of jail and seeking revenge
for his betrayal to the team. Whatever you do, don’t stand behind this guy in
the Petsmart when purchasing puppy chow.
With the exception of a few funny moments, including an
exchange about casual derogatory slur usage and a discussion about an iPhone
app that essentially amounts to a virtual gaydar, much of the dialogue passages
don’t stick out. The screenplay makes a few attempts at being cutting edge in
the way that Quentin Tarantino’s dialogue in “Pulp Fiction” was, but misses the
whimsical precision that Tarantino perfected in that film.
Shepard’s name is scribbled so many times in the production
credits that it resembles the Trapper Keeper of a schoolgirl who repeatedly
doodles the name and initials of her crush on the inside. In addition to being
the lead actor, he directed (along with “Brother’s Justice” collaborator David
Palmer), he produced, he wrote the screenplay, he did the editing, and he
brought a few hot rods from his personal collection. He even performed his own
stunt driving, and these sequences are a refreshing change of pace from the
implausible, CG-enhanced mayhem we’ve come to expect from the “Fast and the
Furious” movies.
He was clearly passionate about making this project, and
it’s difficult for me to criticize him for that. As somewhat of an aspiring
filmmaker myself, I admire his confidence and drive in making his own personal
tribute to films like “Smokey And The Bandit.” I wish I could appreciate “Hit & Run” in the same capacity.
VERDICT:
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