Dramatized documentaries on motorcycle racing are surely some of the most difficult to execute. After all, the sport of motorcycle racing has come to such dramatic conclusions that one is actually forced to ask why dramatization would be required in the first place. However, that statement would not hold any ground for all the non die hard race fans out there. Written and directed by Kelly Blatz and featuring lead actor KJ Apa and his co stars Maine Reficco and Eric Dane from Grey’s Anatomy, One Fast Move tries to do just that by integrating the human drama that the public wants and the thrill moves that motorbike racers know too well.
The storyline appears quite simple as a troubled young man Wes Neal (portrayed by Apa) one day decides to go looking for his missing father Dean Miller, a character animally played by Dane. The only twist is Miller is a mechanic working for Olmos’ Abel, who Neal asks to help him get into motorcycles and become a professional road racer.
Blatz then has a task to do as to how he is able to explain that the sport of motorcycle racing is extremely demanding, hard work and a great deal of time and resources is needed just to get to a reasonable level of club racing (not to talk of becoming a pro), and some of these areas are too brushed with the paint effect.lowered perspective.
Sadly, the romantic aspects of the film are somewhat exaggerated, such as the fact that Apa is trained in a version of the ‘Rocky’ setting within the confines of Atlanta Motor Speedway and the more ridiculous act of Apa riding the wrong way in a live race track in the end during the film which is the ultimate commandment in racing and would earn you a heavy fine at best or a lifetime racing ban at worst.
The passion that grows between Apa and Reficco are key to the film’s narrative structure as Reficco believes in Apa’s notion of speed and racing being a positive when in reality, Apa seems rather like a lost cause trying to struggle through racing while letting Reficco maintain a steady family on her own.
One of the unacceptable performances however is that of Dean’s father Wes, who is brought to life by Dane. Dane, I believe successfully embodies the character of the self glorifying ex racer Dean Miller, who seems to be a combination of several egos Blatz encountered during his exploration of the club racing scene in California, a type of personality we’ve come across many times sadly in the past. But there is some scope of hope for Miller who does try and perform his duties as a father to his son which somewhat proves he isn’t all that egocentric.
Again, as so many of his predecessors roles, Edward James Olmos adds a layer of earthiness to the proceedings. Olmos manages a shop that looks to be in its last throes and he’s practically given up after an eternity of toil in the motorcycle trade (another painfully stereotypical scenario), but his character Abel offers Wes guidance and parental like encouragement when he so desperately needed it, a role Miller should never have run away from in the first place.
The making of One Fast Move is inspiring considering the number of resources that came from southeast club racers who set up mock pits for the scenes in the film. It builds up to the high points of the track where the father son duo gets to meet on the track at Michlel Raceway Road Atlanta and will for now refrain from spoiling the conclusion for you.
One Fast Move draws inspiration from Days of Thunder and features some sprinkle of the legendary Supercross movie released in 2005. This film should not be the reason one goes looking for epic plot twists but it’s an interesting film and helps in showcasing the drama that exists in the sport of motorcycle racing.
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