HIT AND RUN
US, 2012, 85 minutes, Colour.
Dax Shepard, Kristin Bell, Bradley Cooper, Tom Arnold, Michael Rosenbaum, Kristen Chenowith, David Koechner, Beau Bridges, Joy Bryant, Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, Jess Rowland, Ryan Hansen.
Directed by David Palmer and Dax Shepard.
Something in this one for most 30s audiences. The action fans may wonder during the early scenes just what they had agreed to come and see because it is quiet, slow and, mainly, conversation between the central couple, with touches of psychology and philosophy. That means the non or less-action audiences will have something to listen to and think about. Action fans should not worry but relax, listen and think. There will be plenty of car chases later, excitingly filmed and edited.
This means that Hit and Run is not your usual crime thriller nor your average romantic comedy, though it is a romance and thriller.
The dialogue is frequently quite smart (though self-indulgent with dollops of swearing) with talk about love and relationships, about truth and lies. And it has some entertaining plot twists, a gradual revelation about the hero which we might not initially anticipate.
Charlie Bronson (whose real name is Yul) we soon discover, is in a witness protection program in the countryside (his choice of name – but taken from the British movie biography of criminal, Bronson, with Tom Hardy, - it is that kind of dialogue). His officer is an accident-prone Tom Arnold. Annie (Kristen Bell) has left a former partner, whose jealousy complicates the proceedings no end. His brother is a gay policeman (which leads to conversations about glib labeling, stereotyping, homophobia as well as racism). She now has the opportunity to move to LA and take up a university post and organize a course on her specialty, conflict resolution. (Some comedy about conflict resolution as well.)
Charlie offers to drive her to LA and the film turns into a road movie, a pursuit movie, a car chase movie. Bradley Cooper enjoys being sinister as the unsympathetic pursuer. Part of the enjoyment is discovering more and more detail as to why the chase is on. And some cameo stars turn up including Jason Bateman, Beau Bridges as Yul’s dad and Sean Hayes as a lecturer.
Smart plotting, smart dialogue are probably good ways of characterizing Hit and Run. Since Dax Shepard wrote, co-directed and stars, a lot of the smartness is obviously his.
1. An entertaining comedy, romance, comedy of errors? The title?
2. California, the country town, home, college, the police? The road and the Californian countryside, the cars, the chasers, the crashes? Motels? The family home in farm? Los Angeles and college? The musical score?
3. Dax Shepard and his writing, co-directing, editing which are using his own cars and doing his own driving?
4. Charlie, in the town, the witness protection, his love for Annie, the initial talk and sharing? Her work, the discussions with the Debbie, fearing being fired, her skill in conflict resolution and her thesis, being offered the job in Los Angeles, returning home, letting Charlie know, feeling she should go to Los Angeles, the options, Charlie and his wanting to give her the opportunity? The decision to go? The visit to Gill and his tenacity, her getting her documents?
5. The sheriff, for the witness protection, dirty, spilling the coffee, the car rolling, crashing into the fence? His embarrassment? Talking to Charlie? Finding out thst Charlie was leaving, the phone calls, the pursuit, the crashes? Teaming up with Gill’s brother, Terry? His sexuality?
6. Terry, police, gay, discussions with his partner, the app? His giving the information to his brother? The pursuit, heroism, dating with Randy?
7. Gill, jealous, pursuit, googling, getting the information, Charlie’s real name (and the jokes about Charlie Bronson – from the British film – and Yul Brynner)? His pursuit, crashes?
8. The motel, the naked elderly couples, the manager of the service station, his comments on the car, stealing the engine?
9. Alex Demetri and his story, the court appearance, the bank robberies, the pursuit, his companion, wanting the cash, antagonism towards Yul?
10. The gradual revelation of Yul’s story, the reasons for not revealing it to Annie, her being aghast? His being in the witness protection, his real name, four years in the town, his case, the fact that he was the getaway driver, testifying against Alex?
11. Alex, his companion, Alan? Their manner, how to be ruthless? On the road, working out that Yul would go to his father’s house? The confrontations, the threats, the buried money, the fight, the escaped shots?
12. Randy, Terry, their arrival on the scene, the later praise for their taking down Alex? The two agents interviewing Randy, promise of promotion?
13. The experimental vehicle, Yul driving Annie to Los Angeles, talking, a possible reconciliation, arriving on time?
14. The lecturer, smoke, getting it out the window, turning out to be Debbie’s brother, giving Annie the job? A pleasantly light entertainment?
