When did I last see it? I saw it with my brother the weekend it opened theatrically, way back in the summer of 2012. Even though I bought the blu-ray when it came out several months later, I never watched it again, even forgetting the plot and pretty much everything about it. I watched it again last night to see how it held up.
How did I feel about it then? Good grief, did I ever love this movie. Apparently. Again, it totally slipped through the cracks and might have remained forgotten, were it not for a review I wrote on my blog in which I sound deranged so enthusiastic was my love for this film. Here is the gist of it:
"This is [Dax Shepherd's] first attempt at actually making a movie, and he will be remembered for it one way or another...Nothing could have prepared me for how good this movie is. The title and poster suggest low-budget action...The movie itself is much more special than any of that. It cannot be classified as one particular genre, unless romantic action comedy is a real thing...There are moments that are genuinely funny, others that are surprisingly touching, and still others that are strangely thrilling...This is one movie that was not specifically shaped and formed to make money. I feel that even if it closes after a week, its creators would still be pleased...Those who expect a chase movie will be disgusted by how sweet it is, and those expecting a sweet movie will be horrified by its vulgarity...It stands alone, just being itself, and doesn't really care what you think about it. 9/10"
How do I feel about it now? What the friggin' eff? Did Dax Shepherd save my life? Did I owe him a favor? It's mind-boggling that my opinion of something could change so drastically after only a few years. What was funny, touching, and thrilling then is mildly annoying, meh, and meh today. And it's not even like I was following a trend cause it flopped financially and only has a 49% approval rating on rottentomatoes. What, I ask again, the eff?
What does still work for me are the scenes with Shepherd and Bell who have genuine chemistry and are amusing together. I also agree with 2012 me that there is a definite attitude of "Who cares? We're just having fun making a movie!" In addition to the main cast, there are cameos from Kristin Chenoweth, David Koechner, Beau Bridges, and Jason Bateman, and everyone really does seem to be having a good time.
The problem is that nothing in the movie resonates because it's so silly we can't take it seriously or be excited by its moments of spastic action, and, on the other hand, it's not particularly funny either. The characters are broad, the jokes either obvious or random, and the gay jokes! This screenplay is obsessed with homosexuality! Shepherd and Bell talk about gay slurs at length for no reason, Bradley Cooper's character was raped in prison and all the characters talk about the pros and cons of being molested by different ethnicities, there's a gay cop character who has nothing to do but flirt with Tom Arnold (!) and they wind up together (!!!). Dax Shepherd must think very little of comedies that don't reference sodomy every few minutes!
The other attempts at comedy buffoonery, pretty much everything with Tom Arnold and that gun of his, fall flat because they're excessive, like the gay jokes. The only moments that amused me were the quiet ones, like Shepherd and Bell calling each other lovingly jerky terms of endearment (Fat, Stupid, Ugly) and their reaction after accidentally walking in on a naked old man. Note that their reaction is funny, not the moment itself, and yet I specifically mentioned the naked old man as being hilarious in my old review. Ugh, 2012 me! What was your deal?
In Conclusion--I no longer love Hit & Run, and question whether I ever loved it to begin with. Maybe I was hypnotized or something. You never know! At only 100 minutes, and with all the joviality on screen, it's hardly painful. It just isn't anything special either.
C+
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