You'd be forgiven for thinking that the small budget action-comedy, Hit and Run, would be one of those throwaway movies maybe worth a rental or checking out late one night on Cinemax. Certainly, seeing the name Dax Shepard at the top of the marquee is a warning sign, as he's done little other than traffic in lowbrow, middle-of-the-road comedies ever since he made his big film breakout in 2004's Without A Paddle. But Shepard, who has settled in nicely on NBC's Parenthood, and made a surprisingly hilarious directorial debut in the martial arts docu-comedy, Brother's Justice, has hit on all the right notes with Hit and Run, a free-wheelin', gun blastin' thrill ride with a surprising amount of heart.
Despite all the big muscle cars with their high powered engines that populate the film, what truly drives the story along is the central romance and the remarkable chemistry between Shepard and his real life fiancee, Kristen Bell. The wildly scattershot plot begins serenely enough, in a tender moment shared between Charlie Bronson(Shepard) and his girlfriend, Annie(Bell), snuggled up under the bed covers and discussing....STDs. Yeah, it's a pretty rough start that isn't going to instill anyone with much confidence, but believe the tides turn in the right direction very quickly thereafter. The all too cute couple share in their quirky little inside jokes, along with Charlie's daily affirmation boosting Annie's confidence, and it all sounds so natural and fitting. You can imagine Shepard and Bell working in their actual pet sayings into the script it seems so authentic.
But all the quiet stuff goes skidding off the rails once Tom Arnold rounds the corner in chaotic fashion(think firing a gun near innocent children) as the accident prone Randy. While he seems like one of Charlie's buddies, he's actually a Sheriff in charge of the Witness Protection Program, watching over Charlie who ratted out some bad folks four years earlier. The utterly clueless Annie is a non-violent resolution specialist, which of course means she'll get drawn into every act of violence imaginable. When she gets offered a job in Los Angeles, courtesy of a scene-stealing grab by the great Kristin Chenoweth, she and Charlie decide to skip town to make the interview.
There are tons of problems with this scenario, and they all comically converge in a bizarre free-for-all of violence, racism, car chases, inept cops, homosexual urges, and blazing shoot outs. Annie's jealous and stalkerish ex-boyfriend(Michael Rosenbaum) discovers Charlie's real name and murky criminal past, and notifies his old mates who want some revenge. At the head of the pack is Alex Dimitri, played by a blond and dreadlocked Bradley Cooper. Dmitri, decked out with his yellow shades and distracting red pants, is a bipolar maniac who exudes serenity at one moment, then in the next minute he's beating a guy nearly to death over his dog food choices. It's a strange role for Cooper, who has been on such a role of late, but he does get most of the best gags. The incredulity on his face when grilled over a prison sexual assault is worth the price of admission alone. A pair of bumbling cops, one of whom obsessively uses an Iphone app to find gay hook ups, are also in hot pursuit of the fleeing Annie and Charlie.
Secrets spill out at undesirable moments as the happy couple lead the high speed chase, strapped into Charlie's heavy duty 1967 Lincoln. Shepard gives a fine performance as Charlie, a man trying to leave his criminal past behind and start anew with the woman he loves, but finding it more difficult than he imagined. While he's clearly not an idiot and proves to be quick-witted when their lives are on the line, when the action slows down he's kind of a racist moron. A well-meaning, good-natured racist moron, though. What could've been a thankless role is given real life by Bell, who trades quips with Shepard effortlessly and shows real pain when betrayal begins to factor into the equation. Separately, Bell and Shepard don't have quite the same appeal, but together they are absolutely golden. Shepard shows an assured hand behind the camera, especially deft during the intense racing sequences.
With an eclectic soundtrack consisting of hard rock classics and jazzy Lou Rawls gems, Hit and Run speeds along at a blistering pace. The momentum begins to slip a little after awhile, and there are so many characters vying for attention that the direction gets a bit messy. In true Cannonball Run style, Hit and Run is a fast-paced and funny throwback full of hot cars, hotter women, and a cast that's having so much fun you won't care about the film's shortcomings.
Trav's Note: To be fair, it took me two viewings to appreciate Hit and Run. The first time was in a crowded room with a bunch of fellow Comic-Con geeks, and clearly I wasn't in the mood for it.
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