Review of Hit & Run (2012) by Roy S — 23 Sep 2012

More Hit and miss than Take the Money & Run, this C-List romp isn't exactly high and tight when it comes to scripting and casting. Oh, there are times when higher-minded moviegoers might think, "This COULD be as good as actor Zach Braff's stellar film writing/directing debut, Garden State." But then again, Braff's cinematic coming out amounted to nothing, which goes double for this Smoked & the Bandied cop-out. There are some good lines--just not in the correct order nor spoken by the right actors. Instead of being a modern but stylishly cool Cannonball Run, this is ultimately just a speed trap for the supporting players and audience's time.

In this R-rated action comedy, a former getaway driver (Shepard) jeopardizes his Witness Protection identity to safely deliver his girlfriend (Bell) to LA with some old bank-robbing cronies (Bradley Cooper, et al) in pursuit.

Kristen Bell is lovely and on-the-mark. Her co-stars, however, are scraggly and sadly miscast. This is Dax Shepard's baby and, by putting himself in the fray as star and director as well as writer, he's given this movie the equivalent of shaken baby syndrome. Never mind the fact his perpetual doofus shtick along with A-list co-star Bradley Cooper prove about as badass as Joe Besser playing 3rd fiddle in the 3 Stooges--this '70s chase throwback needed some serious rewrites before hitting the screen. Namely, it needed to be re-written with witty dialogue and re-cast with stars capable of running and gunning with a Grindhouse-riffing chase flick rather than just spinning its wheels.

Bottom line: Formula Ugh.