HIT & RUN
RYAN: This movie totally surprised me!
CAROLINE: Why’s that?
RYAN: It’s kinda brilliant. I really didn’t expect too much out of it and it’s really a totally enjoyable, completely satisfying movie on every level.
CAROLINE: Really? That is surprising. I didn’t think the trailer was all that.
RYAN: Yeah the trailer didn’t sell me as much either but let me try to now.
CAROLINE: Go for it.
RYAN: Dax Shepard wrote, directed and stars in it and I would never have thought I’d be giving him this kind of credit but this is a gem of a movie. The script is terrific. It’s very funny, romantic, a little suspenseful and super fresh.
CAROLINE: Wow ok.
RYAN: It’s sort of shot like a 70’s/80’s throwback to these movies that were in a subgenre called carsploitation – wherein cars were just totally used and abused throughout the movie. I realize that saying this might make you think this is just a total boy movie but it’s not. It’s actually one of the best balanced films I’ve ever seen.
CAROLINE: Seriously? So it’s part chick flick?
RYAN: Totally. I always love seeing whether real-life couples’ chemistry can translate onto the screen and Dax and Kristen Bell are perfect together.
CAROLINE: I’m sure they’d be thrilled to hear that.
RYAN: And several of the supporting roles were written for the castmembers. They’re all friends of theirs and the fun they must have had making this movie really translates.
CAROLINE: Who’s the supporting cast?
RYAN: Well let’s start with Kristin Chenoweth.
CAROLINE: You love her.
RYAN: Completely. And she’s, once again, a scene stealer. She doesn’t have a huge role but she’s just so cute and funny. Tom Arnold was also hilarious in this.
CAROLINE: Where’s he been?
RYAN: Exactly but you can tell the role was written for him. He shouts almost the whole time.
CAROLINE: How’s Bradley Cooper?
RYAN: Fantastic. He has dreads and it’s so peculiar yet fitting and it’s a totally different kind of role for him. There’s one surprise cameo by someone you adore who I won’t ruin for you but he has one of the best lines in the movie.
CAROLINE: I’m so curious!!
RYAN: And the other roles in the film are impeccably cast. It’s overall – tonally, timing, everything is well crafted. It’s like a tamer version of a Quentin Tarantino film, without ever crossing the line to the level of shock that QT goes to.
CAROLINE: Sounds really good.
RYAN: I’m here to tell you it is. But I don’t wanna build it up too much.
CAROLINE: Too late.
RYAN: No really – I did go in with lowered expectations so that may play into a bit of how I was so taken by this. But still, I think you’d really enjoy it. It also has sort of a gay theme.
CAROLINE: How do you mean?
RYAN: There are a few gay characters and there’s just kind of a gay sensibility to it.
CAROLINE: Okay.
RYAN: I’m taken aback by Dax on this project. I’m impressed by him. If this hits, he could break out as a writer/director with a unique voice. At the very least, this deserves the good kind of cult classic status.
— RATING —