Review of Hit & Run (2012) by Jim G — 12 Sep 2012

Hit & Run has its funny moments that we laugh and remember, but ultimately it's a comedy that just didn't work for me. I mean it has a lot of great elements like the violent humor, the funny actors, and even the occasional WTF scenes. But I just never found myself to be engaged in the story or loving the characters, it just seemed like that comedy that we would forget after a day but just remember a few funny parts. This kind of comedy is good for some people, and it's definitely better than that Adam Sandler crap that I have to sit through all the time, but for me there was just not much that separates it from other comedies. Dax Sheperd tries his hand at directing and writing this movie, and it really surprised me that the guy from Parenthood is going to try and make a movie, and I actually think he has the potential to make a great comedy. Sure this wasn't great, but I believe he did very well for a first time director and I can see him making some very promising comedies in the future. I also hated the car chase scenes, I mean after seeing the Fast and the Furious movies there really isn't much that they can do and I found it pointless to even have it in here. Some people will enjoy Hit & Run but it just wasn't for me.

The story follows an ex-getaway driver flees from determined feds and vicious gangsters after quitting the witness-protection program in order to drive his girlfriend to her new job in Los Angeles. Once upon a time, Charlie Bronson (Dax Shepard) was a getaway wheelman for a quick-triggered gang of bank robbers, comprised of unpredictable Alex (Bradley Cooper), smoldering mastermind Neve (Joy Bryant), and their sharp-dressed sidekick (Ryan Hansen). But after being placed in the Witness Protection Program and falling for pretty Annie (Kristen Bell), Charlie's criminal past has faded into the rearview mirror. When Annie lands an interview for her dream job in L.A., Charlie vows that she won't be late, and they hit the road in his custom-built muscle car. Charlie just hopes she doesn't discover the truth of his past.

The plot was predictable and the characters were forgettable, but the jokes weren't half bad. I mean sure its slob and stupid humor but it's so out of its own mind that we can't help but have a few shock laughs. But I really cared about what was happening in the movie and I was just checking my watch to see how much I had left to watch. I mean when you have to give Bradley Cooper dreadlocks than I think we can all agree that something happened behind-the-scenes that they are not telling us. We have the potential to make a good comedy, but the first hour of this film is so boring that it almost had be tired, and then things start happening. Once the story really kicks into gear you are slightly interested, but we all know in the end everything is going to turn out ok so we don't really care what happens next. I wasn't expecting such incredible, but it could've been so much more.

The cast had its ups and down, but in reality it was the highlight of the film. Dax Sheperd is a likeable actor and I can tell in real life he is a down to earth guy and just a fun man, and I liked him for it in this film. Kristen Bell has been one of my least favorite actresses since When in Rome, but I think she had redeemed herself in this film a bit by giving a role that was not annoying and made me actually feel sympathy for her. Bradley Cooper had the best laughs in the film, and although his dreadlocks were pointless I still felt like his moments really brought fun to the screen and I enjoyed him. Beau Bridges really brought some great scenes, and I loved the pain his car went through in the film. A funny cast that saved the film from being a total failure.

Hit & Run seemed like it meant to do well and give the audience some good laughs, but it just didn't end up working for me. I had to turn around when I saw the motel scene where they walk in on a group naked old people... twice. I think some people will see a joy in this comedy that I just didn't understand, but I will admit that I did laugh and it was a decent comedy from a first time director. It has a lot of gross out humor and it really knows how people want to see stupid and violent comedies, but there is a lot you must do to make a comedy film be great. I consider a great comedy to have a silly and interesting story, characters that are actually fun and interesting, and jokes that just stick in our minds because they have such a silly way of presenting it. If you love violence, naked old people, and Bradley Cooper in dreadlocks than you will have a better time than I did at this movie.

Ovie.