[REVIEW] Kristen Bell And Dax Shepard Star Together In Hit And Run!

Despite not being a well-publicized blockbuster, the cast of Hit & Run was enough to pique my interest in the film when I got the opportunity to screen it. Staring Dax Shepard (who you may have seen as Frito in the hilarious film Idiocracy), Kristen Bell, and Bradley Cooper, it also features Kristin Chenoweth, Tom Arnold, and Beau Bridges. Jason Bateman even makes a random cameo.

Dream Come True?

Charlie Bronson (Shepard) has a good thing going, despite being in witness protection under the supervision of a most accident-prone US Marshal (Arnold) in the middle of nowhere California town. He lives a quiet life and is enjoying a blossoming relationship with his girlfriend Annie (real life fiancé Bell).

When Annie is faced with the dilemma of either taking a dream job in LA or having no job at all, Charlie decides to risk leaving witness protection to go back to the city where people want to kill him in order to make her dreams come true.

While this may seem like a romantic gesture, the marshal doesn’t agree – chasing after the couple in an effort to protect them. Charlie’s old partner in crime (a dreadlocked Cooper) thinks it’s a great idea though, since it gives him the chance to hunt him down to fulfill his vendetta and collect some stolen money in the process. Bizarre hilarity ensues.

Rom-Com, Thriller, Suspense, Comedy?

As romantic action comedy, Hit & Run doesn’t fit well into any specific genre. It has some touching moments between Shepard and Bell, there are some impressive car chases (apparently Shepard did his own driving), and there are jokes so off the wall that there is something here for everyone.

That, however, is the film’s weakness as well. It is so many things that it comes off as being quite strange in many ways, as well as highly offensive in others, and winds up being something that I don’t think a whole lot of people are going to enjoy.

Hit & Run Trailer

2.5 out 5 stars

Personally, I mostly enjoyed it. It is incredibly clever in some parts, and I laughed out loud at some of the jokes. The action, too, is pretty good. Much like certain cheeses though, it has a very distinct and strong flavor – one that some will savor, but many won’t even be tempted by.

If off kilter humor, jokes that include a discussion of prison rape, full frontal nudity (not the good kind), and really strange behavior regarding Bradley Cooper and dog food don’t scare you off, this might be a film worth checking out. It’s certainly not one you’ll quickly forget, but depending on who you are, you might want to.

Hit & Run drives into theaters Aug 22.