This movie has been on my radar since it was shown at the Traverse City Film Festival, but I only went there last summer for some pre-game fun with my oldest brother and his friends (I hope to go back this year!) And why not Traverse City, MI? Co-star Kristen Bell is originally from the Mitten State, and her husband Dax Shepard directed, co-wrote, and starred in this actiony rom-com. Charlie Bronson (Shepard) and Annie (Bell) are a couple, but it is discovered quickly that Charlie is in the Witness Protection Program and cannot really go anywhere. Annie, on the other hand, is offered a job far away from their current home, in Los Angeles, so it is either break up, or run. Well I’m sure you can guess which one they both go for. Well you do know what the WPP is for, right? Well not to spoil anything, but obviously someone might very well be after Charlie (ok, ok, obviously one of them is the very good Bradley Cooper), so this creates problems since he is out on the road again. And that is where my divulging of details stops.
While this movie is not particular amazing, it was definitely enjoyable to watch. This movie does a lot of things… romance, comedy, action, and is pretty clever in its storytelling. The chemistry between Shepard and Bell is, of course, very good, being that they are married in real life. And the action is somewhat akin to a Fast and Furious feel, although it is much smarter and better-crafted than those movies. There is some good work by supporting cast members, particularly Tom Arnold who plays the marshal assigned to Charlie. I wasn’t aware that he was still funny, but he does a pretty great job. Kristen Chenoweth also plays a small role, and although he does not do much, I would be silly not to mention a Veronica Mars cast reunion in the form of Ryan Hansen, who played Dick Casablancas in that show and has been seen more recently in 2 Broke Girls. Really, it doesn’t hurt to see this movie. It has some good jokes, Shepard and Bell are both very good together. It is not a particularly ‘clean’ movie though, so be aware of who you are watching with it. Nothing super graphic, but it has its moments.
Michael Night's Miscellany 