Review: 'Hit and Run' is average fare

Film: Hit and Run
Director: David Palmer, Dax Shepard
Cast: Kristen Bell, Dax Shepard, Bradley Cooper and others
Rating: **1/2

The word that comes to mind for Hit and Run is "average". That's what the film is, strictly average. Falling into the messy little genre of "chase comedy" which is supposed to be action packed, thrilling, fast and hilarious all at the same time, Hit and Run doesn't quite make it.

The plot is a no-brainer. Teaching in a small town college, Annie (Kristen Bell) falls in love with Charlie Bronson (Dax Shepard) who is under the Witness Protection Programme.

They are happy, in love and all is well but it all goes for a toss when Annie is offered her dream job in a college in Los Angeles and Charlie decides to drive her there himself, leaving the protection programme. Things start going wrong when Annie's crazy-jealous ex-boyfriend Gil, suspicious of Charlie, decides to go snooping around and finds out that Charlie has a different identity and was a getaway driver to a gang who pulled of bank jobs, led by Alex (Bradley Cooper).

Gil contacts Alex on Facebook and promises to tell him Charlie's location (yes, the very dangerous wanted criminal has an easily accessible profile on Facebook, no alias or anything, genius). Let the madness begin!

The chases are quite tame and have none of the nail-biting-edge-of-the-seat thrill that you expect from such sequences. Hit and Run has its moments where its hilarious but in most parts, the humour is dry and cliched. Be prepared for a lot of unnecessary yelling (yes, that's one of the things that is supposed to make you laugh), a lot of F-bombs, an odd racial slur, and if you manage to catch the uncensored version then, frontal
nudity.

Shepard had his hands full with this one; he wrote, directed, starred and most importantly, drove the film. Bell is everything she needs to be in Hit and Run, ranging from adorable to sexy to kickass. Maybe too much was expected out of Cooper, a riot in Hangover, who doesn't exactly stand out much this time around.

All in all, Hit and Run is one of those films that you might enjoy while lounging on your couch on a Sunday afternoon but if you're planning to pay and watch, keep your expectations low.