America loves the everyman taking on extraordinary odds. Whether it’s Jason Statham avenging the innocent in hits such as A Working Man or Bob Odenkirk’s retired assassin-turned-family man in Nobody, these characters use their fists to get out of trouble. However, Patrick Wilson managed to flip this everyman hero concept on its head as a limo driver in over his head in Stretch.
This little-seen action comedy by Joe Carnahan (Smokin’ Aces, Shadow Force) takes the dark vibe of Los Angeles nightlife from Collateral and creates absurd misadventures for Wilson’s lovable loser. Released in 2014, Stretch went straight to video after Universal Pictures decided against a theatrical run, with producer Jason Blum falling short of finding another distributor. Professional critics were far kinder to it, however, scoring an 88% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. As a welcome return to the kind of balls-to-the-wall action comedies that helped to define his career, Stretch was more than worthy of a franchise.
What Is ‘Stretch’ About?
Kevin “Stretch” Brzyzowski (Wilson) has the worst luck in the world. His attempts at an acting career have fallen short, and his girlfriend (Brooklyn Decker) dumps him for an NFL star. Stretch’s subsequent downward spiral into drinking, drugs, and excessive gambling put him in a $6,000 debt to a Mexican gang leader (Ben Bray). Making matters worse is how his limo business is about to go under due to the mysterious Jovi (Randy Couture) stealing clients.
With help from his attractive colleague Charlie (Jessica Alba), Stretch lands a gig with millionaire Roger Karos (Chris Pine), an egomaniac with a love for partying, loose women, and starting fires. He agrees to help Stretch get out of debt in exchange for retrieving a briefcase and some dope. What goes down in the next 99 minutes needed for Stretch to complete his tasks results in a living nightmare like he’s never experienced before.
Wilson’s role as the title character is far less superhuman than Statham’s Chev from Crank and more of a relatable, ordinary guy like Jamie Foxx‘s L.A. cab driver in Collateral. Stretch is not a traditional brawler or expert marksman. But what makes him relatable is how he’s simply a weird dude running on the edge of every insane situation he’s put through. With a dead limo driver (Ed Helms) serving as his hallucination throughout the film, Stretch faces several tasks within hours. Each moment of chaos plays like a segment from a Quentin Tarantino movie, whether it’s running down the paparazzi with the limo or tricking some French criminals into thinking he’s a cop using a fake gun and badge. The tasks are so random that Stretch had the potential to be an ongoing film franchise similar to John Wick and Nobody.
‘Stretch’ Is a Chaotic Satire of the Hollywood Scene
The absurd carnage and high comedy within the action are something that Carnahan handles with ease. Instead of epic fight scenes and shootouts, Stretch features the main character running from club bouncers, accidentally firing the prop gun in his pants, and getting hit by a car by a problematic old woman. Another over-the-top chase sequence features Wilson’s desperate hero attempting to boost his limo from a muscle-bound tow truck driver (Matt Willig) only to find it defaced by a drug-induced client. It all plays to the kind of kinetic style that made Carnahan successful in the genre, given his experience with cartoon-level entertainment in Aces as well as The A-Team.
The real fun of Stretch comes from the director figuratively “kicking Hollywood’s ass” in ways Robert Altman was afraid to do. He puts together a collection of colorful Southern California personalities ranging from sex workers to drug-addicted wannabe rappers. Additionally, several high-profile cameos include David Hasselhoff, Norman Reedus, and Carnahan’s late collaborator Ray Liotta as they all dial up the overexaggeration of their established personas. But the one who truly chews up the scenery is Pine’s Karos. A far departure from Star Trek, Pine dominates the screen with his wildly extravagant wardrobe, makeup, and even his unforgettable and revealing entrance parachute landing onto Stretch’s limo donning nothing but his underwear. His unpredictable behavior is not only essential to being a great villain but also punctuates the film’s incredibly quirky tone. Stretch is the kind of manic entertainment that leaves the audience wanting more misadventures out of Wilson’s character—Carnahan truly puts the audience in the backseat and gives them a thrill ride that will leave them just as disheveled as the titular hero.
