Review of Stretch (2014) by Nathan M — 14 Nov 2014

Within the first 5 minutes someone has already been launched out of a car and someone has already died and it just gets crazier from there. Stretch is an energetic thrill ride that accomplishes everything it set out to do.

Right from the first frame you can just see Carnahan's energy surging through the film. The camera work is lively, the use of light and color is great, the soundtrack is good, the script is funny and something is always happening on screen. The film really was directed with this huge love and energy and it's really nice to see someone just be all in with their project. It's a cool action film that has good character growth and a great sense of humor and balances it all well by giving enough time for characters to breath while remaining unpredictable, (besides the end reveal which I worked out pretty early on). Things just keep getting worse for our main character and it is fun to see what will happen next.

Patrick Wilson is brilliant in the lead and like everything else is just all in to the craziness. His character is really well written and really likeable. It's also a showcase for him to take on some more outlandish comedy. Coming from Space Station 76 which had very dark low-key comedy, it's good to see his range and he tackles the over the top quite well, any scene where he has to 'own the space' is some of the best the film has to offer and these moments left a huge smile on my face. Jessica Alba was also really good but I wish she was in the film more and the fact that these two made a film together just makes me happy anyway.

The actors playing themselves was certainly odd but it did fit the film, some of the humor that these scenes create are jabs at Hollywood and its actors, it's almost like he could see into the future and see how this film would be distributed so he managed to get a few jabs in. Everyone else does a great job, Chris Pine especially in very bizarre form, and they don't break character once, they're all committed to taking this as seriously as they can whist also knowing that the film is silly.

There is a point early on in the film when someone says what Stretch's name is and he doesn't like it, it would have been interesting to see that go somewhere, just because it is something else to add to the silliness of it all. (Kevin or Stretch? He drives a stretch so his name is Stretch too? I don't get it.) But I don't think it matters because when it was brought up the first time it was in relation to someone he didn't like so it could just be related to that moment.

It's a shame what happened to this film, Universal just seems to have tossed it aside for some reason, why? Are people allergic to having fun anymore? Seeing some of the stuff they've had their name attached to in the last few years you think they'd jump on this, especially because it has some big names in it (even if it was strange to see them in a small film like this but that just proves my point more) and it could easily get its budget back. It was going to be released in March 2014 and they said no and waited until October and just threw it up on VOD? What? Why? Was it too edgy or something? Whatever the case, this is the kind of film that will get its audience in the end and will get the love it deserves and be enjoyed for a long while. It's silly, fun, unpredictable and just hugely enjoyable and nothing like Falling Down, as some have compared the poster to. With a great style, funny script, enthusiastic acting and directing with a huge sense of fun, Stretch is blast and Patrick Wilson is on a roll!