Masterful Movie

Good concept, poorly executed.

When a movie has you begging for it to end not even half way through it's pure crap. We've all seen this movie and this characters millions of times, nothing new in it. Don't waste your time.

There are better movies of two hours length. I loved the actress'performance.

Life isn't Fair. This Post-Modern, Self-Aware, Irreverent, sometimes Crude and Lewd Black Comedy is Wheelhouse for Writer-Director Joe Carnahan.Life isn't Fair ...for the Movie's Protagonist "Stretch" a Limo-Driver Loser that through some "Fateful" Events has a Chance to "Man-Up" and take Control of His Life that Spins out of Control on a Regular Basis.He barely makes a Living Chauffeuring Hollywood Types and Fat Cats as They make Whoopee with Their "Ill Gotten Gains" and are Cruel Carnivores. He's Broke and Heavily in Debt to the Mob and the "Love of His Life" Leaves Him for a NFL Quarterback who makes Millions. Life isn't Fair.This is a Raucous Ride that brings out Adjectives like...Fun...Wild...Wacky...Those sort of Reactions. It's one of those that is Not for Everyone.But it is a Smart, Rapidly Paced Picture that, if You Don't Mind Foul Language, Unsettling Satirical Set-Pieces about Indulgences like Drug Abuse, Sex, and Manipulative Ugly "Alpha" Types, there is much Enjoyment to be had in this Type of Thing.A Good Cast Rides the Cutting Edge for All its Worth. It goes Over the Top at times but that's the Template, so Enjoy. Patrick Wilson seems Effortless in Bringing to Life a Likable Loser that is Game when the Chips are Down and All seems Lost.The Movie, for some Inexplicable Reason was Released Straight to Video and Ignored and Abandoned by the Suits. Considering the Deluge of Dreck that is in Theaters on a Regular Basis it is really a Shame that this one got the Shaft. Life isn't Fair.

I understand that Stretch was not given a theatrical released and went straight to video. I wonder why? I suspect the reasons were as much, if not more, political than commercial or artistic.I have been following Joe Carnahan's films since I came across Narc, his very disturbing tale of corruption in a narcotics department starring Jason Patric and Ray Liotta. (It was made on a shoestring after Ray Liotta was impressed by the script and hearing that Carnahan couldn't raise the funding, paid for it himself and starred in it.) The follow-up, the very, very different Smokin' Aces is, I must admit, not to everyone's taste, though it was to mine: a manic, cartoonish tale told with flamboyance and wit. It improves at the second watching.Stretch is more in the vein of Smokin' Aces, with the same convoluted story structure and manic developments. It shouldn't come off, but it does. I have to admit that it takes a while to get into its stride, but stick with it, and you will be rewarded. But as I say, it went straight to DVD so it certainly didn't impress everyone. But if you get the chance to see it, don't pass it up. I think it works because Carnahan has characters play it straight in situations which are beyond ridiculous and that is a harder act to pull off than any number of mindnumbingly stupid gross-out 'comedies'.There is in Stretch a certain internal logic which, although it doesn't make a drop of sense in the real world, does make sense in context, and Carnahan is skillful at pulling that off. He also has a nice line in witty dialogue, lines which don't come across as clever-clever. But what the hell, suck it and see. I think most will be pleasantly surprised.

A fine director who burst onto the scene with the terrific yet underseen Tom Cruise backed Narc, then went onto direct the so-so big budgeted A-Team redo and one of the most underrated thrillers of the modern era in the form of the pulse pounding The Grey, director Joe Carnahan has had an eclectic career behind the camera, no more personified by Stretch, a film virtually dumped by its studio and left to live a life of relative obscurity in the libraries of forgotten movies.Aiming to find the success and balance of humour, violence and darkness that pulses through the veins of films like Snatch, Crank and the oddball exercises of the Coen Brothers, Stretch sees Carnahan try his hand at satirical insights into the world of Hollywood and the dark underbelly it entails but under the guise of Patrick Wilson's hard luck wannabe actor turned gambling debt riddled limousine driver Stretch, Carnahan finds himself on shaky ground and while the director has found success with action orientated thrillers in the past, his skill set is not used to great effect here.Stretch often feels forced and uneasy, Wilson in particular seems unsuited to the role that continues his long line of disappointing acting choices when films like Watchmen and Little Children show off his potential while supporting actors such as Jessica Alba, Ed Helms and the horribly over the top Chris Pine can't score a touchdown for a film that was searching for its greatest win from its cast. Wilson's Stretch isn't also a creation that seems overly enjoyable and while films of this ilk often harbor a fairly dire central figure, Stretch isn't funny enough or stupid enough for us to really care whilst the narrative's "what a crazy night" type scenario never takes off even though it throws jockstraps, big bodied Russian's and celebrity cameos (another winning Norman Reedus moment a highlight) our way in abundance.Stretch is without a doubt a wild ride and a unique one in many respects but Carnahan's misdirection and the films unbalanced tonal shifts certainly don't help its causes and at the end of the nights adventures it's not hard to see why the studio dropped this film like its hot, as it's not exactly clear at who Stretch was aimed for or what it was trying to achieve.2 angry Hasselhoff's out of 5

Okay folks, I think we've got a winner here. Strange, different, odd, unpredictable, action-packed, humorous, a bit crude here-and-there, and ultimately charming. I love offbeat stuff that's well-written and ultimately hopeful, and this hidden gem is right up there with the best. A classic "weirdest night of my life" movie that delivers in all respects. I really feel the need to give this movie more than a perfect 10, but since I can't, I'll just have to gush a bit more about how entertaining, deadpan, and satisfying this movie was, with never a dull moment and a solid finish. Also, the bits where "The Hoff" and Ray Liotta lampoon themselves are pretty great. Once again, an obviously relatively low budget movie comes through like few big budget productions ever do. It's downright strange how often the quality and intelligence of a movie are inversely proportional to its financing--I guess when you've got less to work with, you've got to make sure everything counts. Two thumbs up, and then the toes too.