One Fast Move

"One Fast Move" is a heartfelt drama that explores themes of reconciliation, ambition, and healing. The film centers on a young man who, facing financial hardship, reconnects with his estranged father while pursuing his dream of becoming a professional motorcycle racer. This journey not only tests his physical endurance but also challenges him to confront the emotional scars left by his father's absence.

The relationship between the protagonist and his father is the core of the story, offering a deep dive into the complexities of family bonds strained by time and neglect. The supporting character, a motorcycle store owner, plays a crucial role in helping the young man break down the emotional walls he's built up, symbolizing the mentor figure often found in sports dramas.

The film's strength lies in its character development and the authenticity of the father-son dynamic. The racing scenes are well-executed, providing enough adrenaline to keep viewers engaged, but it's the emotional journey that leaves a lasting impact. The narrative is well-paced, balancing action with moments of introspection, making it a compelling watch.

Overall, "One Fast Move" is a good film that resonates with anyone who has experienced the complexities of familial relationships, especially those marked by absence and the longing for connection. It's a story of redemption and the pursuit of dreams, grounded in the reality of personal struggle and growth.

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 ...

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.

So this movie is geared towards riders. I guess they thought we wouldn't notice that his bike goes from a hayabusa to a gsxr back to a busa and again back to a gsxr in every other frame lol. That part is honestly hard for me to get past. The movie is kind of fast paced so that's a bonus for how relatively dull it is. They use the whole estranged father sprinkled in with a love story a little too predictably. Definitely a waste of these actors talents, especially Edward James Almos. Gratuitous "I have a 6pack" workout scenes. Overall the movie is watchable if you don't know a lot about bikes or racing.