‘Hit and Run’ mostly run, but fun escapism

Shepard, a gangly guy who’s cute for a comedian, makes Charlie an ongoing surprise. He’s more resourceful than we expect, and forever struggling to keep the inherent violence of the chase from escalating into something terminal. He and Bell ad-lib effortlessly. We see the playful chemistry that would keep them together even when parting would be the practical move.

As the yarn moves along, Bell’s Annie comes across as an unusually intelligent and assertive girlfriend. Charlie is given some funny-offensive thoughtless things to say about minorities, and under Annie’s politically correct prodding he learns to think first and talk later. It’s a clever way to combine guilty laughs with teachable moments.

Sharing director’s duties with David Palmer, Shepard sort of clobbers you with scenes. His favorites involve cars driving very fast, side by side, trading paint. This is ridiculous, but it’s sublimely ridiculous – pure old-school stunt work. No CGI, just real cars crashing into real cars and real brave people driving ‘em.

If you miss those “Cannonball Run” days of the 1970s when gas was $5 a tank, anything less than six cylinders was a joke, and the asphalt stretched on forever, your film has arrived.

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MOVIE REVIEW
Hit & Run
***
Stars: Dax Shepard, Kristen Bell, Kristin Chenowith, Bradley Cooper, David Koechner, Tom Arnold,
Director: Dax Shepard, David Palmer
Rating: R for pervasive language including sexual references, graphic nudity, some violence and drug content
Running time: 95 minutes