One Fast Move

Now this was a movie that I kinda had my eye on, but only for some of the actors attached to this project. Now I didn't have any excitement for this movie, but I gotta be honest after watching this movie, I actually enjoyed this movie more than I would've anticipated.

Positives for One Fast Move (2024): This was a very simple sports drama movie with some great racing scenes and it's done very well. I also enjoyed the cast of actors in this movie to where you have some recognizable people attached to the project including KJ Apa, Eric Dane, Maia Reficco, Edward James Olmos and Austin North. I actually really enjoyed KJ Apa as the main character and it was so good to not see him making me cringe, but then again I put the blame on Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa. I also really enjoyed his dynamics with both Eric Dane and Maia Reficco. And finally, the racing scenes in this movie are done very well.

Negatives for One Fast Move (2024): There are certain things about KJ Apa's charactersy particularly in regards to his backstory that really left me scratching my head. And finally, the movie is a little bit too long for me.

Overall, One Fast Move (2024) is a great sports drama movie that I had a lot of fun with it.

Greetings again from the darkness. One result from the expansion of the movie streaming universe is that independent films with specific topics can find a home for niche audiences. Actor-turned-director Kelly Blatz (he was a co-lead in LOREN & ROSE, 2022) turns in a rare motorcycle racing movie, although to enhance the odds, it also features the familiar tropes of an angry young man, an estranged father-son reunion, and a love story.

KJ Apa ("Riverdale" heartthrob) plays Wes, the angry young man who displays poor judgment in the opening motorcycle race on a military base. After a stint in Fort Leavenworth and his discharge, Wes and his bike head out to find long-lost (by design) dad. Dean (Eric Dane, "Euphoria", Grey's Anatomy") is a racer who had some success in the past, though his best days are far behind him. He's a party boy who never grew up - one still trying to live life on the wild side through motorcycles, alcohol, and women. Wes just wants his old deserting dad to coach him on the track so he can make something of himself. Wrangling these two cats is bike shop owner Abel (Edward James Olmos). Think of him as the Mr. Miyagi for these two emotionally stunted polar opposites.

And yes, we do get a budding romance for Wes with the stunning smile of Camilia (Maia Reficco, "Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin"). She's a charming waitress at the local diner and studying to be a nurse. The two hit it off while also keeping secrets from each other. Where Eric Dane overplays his part, Edward James Olmos and his reserved manner and screen presence brings a needed depth to the ongoings. Olmos has had quite a career, appearing in both BLADE RUNNER (1982) and BLADE RUNNER 2049 (2017), as well as "Miami Vice" and "Dexter", and receiving an Oscar nomination for STAND AND DELIVER (1988). "Riverdale" fans will be pleased to note that KJ Apa does find reasons to lose his shirt. Motorcycle fans will be happy with the motor-revving and racetrack shots.

Releases on Prime Video August 8, 2024.

No pun intended - if you like racing movies, I might not even have to say or write anything here. Just go watch it I reckon. On the other hand, maybe you do care about casting (I do like the actors involved, check them out and see if they play a role for you - again no pun intended) ... and/or the story there may be something to check before you decide to watch anyway.

All that said, do no forget this is a low budget movie. And not even close to be compared to Fast & Furious (which was also a remake of something completely different and all that). So while there may not be anything new to watch here (racing scenes are well shot I should add), it all depends on your own taste ...

What's good: some of the concepts around grassroots racing, some of the lingo

What's bad: everything else. This movie failed to achieve anything well.

I suppose this movie isn't unique in its failure to deliver on all fronts when compared to other motorcycle, go-kart, or car racing movies but with every bad example produced, there is evidence of what not to do and the bar for bare minimum should get higher each time, automatically so my expectations, maybe hope, is that it will get better.

Maybe the subject matter experts bounce around from one project to another and that's where the potential is limited.

Wes Neal (K. J. Apa) is released from prison after six months for street racing. He is desperate to go into professional motorcycle racing and seeks help from his biological father Dean Miller (Eric Dane). Dean doesn't know him, has never took responsibility, and is well past his prime. Wes falls for waitress Camila (Maia Reficco). Abel (Edward James Olmos) is the mechanic and owns a bike shop.

This is a racing B-movie. The racing is fine although it would help to make Wes stand out among the crowd. That's half the battle and that part is fine. It taught me one small thing about racing. The other half is the story and the characters and all the rest. That part is not so fine. I get the father-son dysfunction, but that's all this movie has. The girlfriend has one interesting aspect. After that card gets played, the story has nothing else. Edward James Olmos is wasted in an one-dimensional role. The story needs a villain. They give the rival family, but the movie does nothing to showcase them. This is a not-so-good B-movie.