Review of Stretch (2014) by Kevin D — 23 Apr 2016

Director Joe Carnahan returns to the big screen after a long stint away, showing he's still got a great sense of gritty action, and dirty storytelling.

I was really impressed with this film about L.A limousine driver, who after a life of making bad luck and even worse decisions, ends up on the receiving end of Fate after an absolutely insane night of depravity, criminal actions, and violence. All for the better mind you. I didn't know what to expect (and didn't expect much), but man was I ever surprised.

Patrick Wilson (Fargo) is joined by a whole barrage of famous cameos from around the Hollywood scene. Norman Reedus (The Boondock Saints) as... well himself, Ed Helms (The Hangover) adds his flavor as the ever present critic, and possibly the greatest moment of David Hasselhoff's (The Hoff) acting career. I was laughing the whole way through, and not a single scene detracts from the overall insanity of the events that unfold. If anything they simply snowball and and more flavor to this wild run. It's like watching a plane crash or a car accident; you just can't peel your eyes away from it. Oh and Chris Pine... actually not bad in this movie. He has possibly one of the best entries in a scene that has ever been filmed. Very Hunter S. Thompson but with more hair.

Anyway, if you have seen "Smoking Aces", or "The A-Team", then you know the director's style, but this is possibly my favorite work. A dirty and dark L.A story.

3/5.