Sunday, October 6, 2019

THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS (2001)

"I live my life a quarter mile at a time."

Paul Walker is a part-time undercover cop, part-time street racer and full-time busta.  His latest undercover assignment is to infiltrate the underground L.A. street racing scene and figure out who's been using their fancy Honda Civics to jack 18-wheelers full of electronics.  The suspects are a bunch of different ethnically diverse racing clubs, but we all know the guy who's really behind the robberies is that sexy bad guy with a heart of gold, Vehicle Identification Number Diesel.  He heads up a group full of reject racer dorks...you got the super smart nerd kid who's always nervous, paints his fingernails black and moves his fingers around a bunch; you got the muscle-bound lummox who swaggers so much he's not even allowed into stores because he knocks everything off the shelves; you got the bad girl female racer who wears giant shoes and has a permanent scowl on her face like somebody just unloaded a super gnarly, paint-peeling fart in her face; you got the guy who's so forgettable that everybody forgets that he even exists and, of course, you got Vin Diesel's bookworm, but still sexy younger sister who has the hots for the dreamy newcomer, Paul Walker.  It's awesome!

The story (the POINT BREAK of street racing) is important, of course, but not really.   The main appeal to TFATF is the impressive stunts, the crazy racing scenes and the cheesiness of the entire thing.  I love it.  It's an entertaining ride and so much fun to rag on while watching.  People should pay me to watch me watch movies.

Fast cars, goofy fashions, cringy dialogue, hot chicks, car wrecks, quick pace, good acting (you heard me!), Ted Levine, plot holes overdose, motorcycle drive-by, dated music.  It's a blast!

THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS is definitely not everybody's cup of energy drink, but if you're just looking for something silly and light-hearted to watch, then check it out. I watch it a few times a year.

If you need me, I'll be playing Gran Turismo 2 in my whip.  Which, the retail on...is more than you can afford, pal.  Ferrari.

Part 2 - 2 Fast 2 Furious (2003)
Part 3 - The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006)
Part 4 - Fast & Furious (2009)
Part 5 - Fast Five (2011)
Part 6 - Fast & Furious 6 (2013)
Part 7 - Furious 7 (2015)
Part 8 - The Fate of the Furious (2017)
Spin-off 1 - Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw (2019)
Part 9 - F9 (2021)
Part 10 - Fast X (2023)