Review of Hit & Run (2012) by Adam S — 09 Sep 2012

In the 70s, studios like Crown International Pictures and used to make cheap exploitation films with such titles as MALIBU HIGH and THE POM POM GIRLS. If you look back at trashy films like these and think, "They don't make 'em like they used to", then HIT AND RUN may just be the film for you. A road movie with crazy souped-up cars, light bloodshed, and an ensemble of ultra-quirky characters, the film gets our characters from point A to point B with an insane amount of quirky obstacles along the way. It also reminded me a little of FLIRTING WITH DISASTER, but with a much lower FUNNY quotient. Depending on how you look at it, it's either a Witness Protection caper or the story of a guy driving his girlfriend to a job interview. Both are valid, yet we ALL know which one is more fun to watch.

All told, this is one strange film. It's not anywhere near as funny as it wants to be, but it has an infectious spirit to it. Dax Shepard and David Palmer throw in the kitchen sink here in an attempt to see what sticks. We've got Tarantino-esque moments where characters stop the action to thoroughly dissect prison rape. We have a quirky gay subplot involving a GRINDR-like app and a hilariously high-string, completely undone Tom Arnold. Sheperd and real-life girlfriend, Kristen Bell, have some pretty good Apatow-like chemistry. There are the requisite oddball cameos by the likes of Kristin Chenowith, Beau Bridges, and Sean Hayes.

While the laughs rarely landed, when they did, they had an outrageous and surprising quality. It was enough to give me a goofy grin throughout. Bonus points for the oft-repeated motif of muscle cars doing donuts and peeling off.