
Within this New Zealand drama, written and directed by Kelly Blatz and starring KJ Apa, Eric Dane, Maia Reficco, and Edward James Olmos, One Fast Move (2024) tries to integrate the real life drama the people want in a movie about motorcycle racing with the thrill the riders are used to
The plot seems simple enough there is a young troubled man named Wes Neal Thorpe (Apa) who needs to apologize to his father, Dean Miller, played by Dane. The only condition is that Neal wants Miller, who works in Abel’s shop, played by Olmos, to train him in road racing and later make it to the professional level.
For Blatz the greater challenge is to portray the brutal aspects of motorcycle racing, the commitment and huge investment of resources and time that is required to even be competent in club-level racing, let alone turning into a pro racer, and some of these spheres get too understated.
Although there are certainly some favorable moments in the film, there also exist parts that are quite discouraging to its global audience for example American actors encasing Apa in the lap of American culture and having him train in an almost Rocky style setting inside Atlanta Motor Speedway, or having Apa commit the cardinal racing sin of hitting reverse and riding the wrong way up live race track at the film’s conclusion. Not only was this quite absurd to reckon with; it would get you banned at the very least, along with a hefty fine for that practice in real life.
The romance between Apa and Reficco proves to be the glue of the film since Reficco ably portrays the trust of a young mother with another child of which the father appears to be a hopeless cause and a trustworthy man. She does understand his thirst for speed and racing.
It is without doubt, The Dane’s turn in the sorry part of Wes’ estranged father, Dean Miller which is the worst view served up in the film by the singer turned actor, Dane. Dane manages to put across the character of a self obsessed ex racer with ease and although Blatz for some reason, who is also much responsible for creating the movie, makes it quite clear that this character is loosely stitched together from several real life individuals which Dane encountered looking into the world of American club racing, the fact remains that we have had our fill of such people in real life.
For Miller, it is not all bad because the character is not completely self-serving and attempts to train and bring up his son in a certain way.
Once again, as in many other of his roles, Edward James Olmos brings a bit of humbleness to this movie. This time Olmos is tired of running a failing business and has one foot out the door of the motorcycle business after too many years in this endless battle, but in part yes, his character Abel brings Wes to him and becomes a father figure a role Miller should have never steered clear of.
One Fast Move was made with the help of a number of club racers from the southeastern part of the country who went out of their way and set up mock pits for different scenes in the film. It reaches its zenith somewhere in the middle of the twisting track of donkey and father and son rumble about on the competitive track but I don’t want to reveal the conclusion.
In several ways, the movie One Fast Move can be defined as having a feel that is reminiscent of the movie Days of Thunder and a sprinkle of the Supercross 2005 film. This film does not try to achieve any earth shattering plot developments and should only be viewed to appreciate the game of motorcycle racing which will leave one in awe.
For more movies like One Fast Move Visit 123Movies.