Film Review: You need to see ‘Need for Speed’

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Movie Review: “Need for Speed”

Aaron Paul, famous for playing Jesse Pinkman in AMC’s “Breaking Bad” and Dominic Cooper (Howard Stark in Marvel’s “Captain America: The First Avenger”) shift into gear in one of spring’s most anticipated movies, “Need For Speed.”

Tobey Marshall (Aaron Paul) has grown up around cars whether it was fixing them up or testing them on the track. But when he receives news about a loved one’s passing he realizes he won’t be able to continue paying for the body shop he and his buddies own, and in desperation, makes a risky business deal with someone from his past, Dino Brewster (Dominic Cooper). After events take a tragic turn, Marshall is framed by Brewster and is sentenced to two years in the New York State Penitentiary. Upon his release, Marshall ignites a plan that will give him vengeance, prove his innocence… and he only has 45 hours before his chance is gone, forever.

The first five minutes started out a little slow, and some dialogue seemed somewhat forced and a little awkward, but things sped up quickly (ha, jokes). For me, it was hard to see Aaron Paul as anyone else besides Jesse Pinkman from “Breaking Bad,” but after an emotional turning point in the first 30 minutes or so, he definitely shows his talent of bringing a character to life and proves that it’s possible to make viewers forget all about his meth-cooking days on TV.

Paul’s character was joined by Imogen Poots, who plays his partner in crime Julia Maddon, a rich British automobile enthusiast who finds herself caught up in Marshall’s master plan for revenge, and occasionally provides some great comic relief for tense situations.

Another native Brit, Dominic Cooper portrays Dino Brewster, an ex-friend of Marshall’s, now rival/con businessman. I felt Cooper’s presence in this film was a little flat and could have definitely had more color.

Also co-starring are Scott Mescudi, Rami Malek, Ramon Rodriguez, Harrison Gilbertson, and Michael Keaton.

I personally loved how the filmmakers and scriptwriters threw in some pop culture references related to racing, such as the Marshall Motor guys playing “Need For Speed” on a game console in their shop, and a great gag almost perfectly stolen from George Lucas’s 1973 film, “American Graffiti.”

Overall, the film has a very fast-paced plot that proves it’s all about the journey, not the destination, great cast chemistry, and, of course, amazing sports cars that will blow you away from start to finish.

For showtimes of “Need for Speed” at the Cinemark Cinema 6 movie theatre in Stephenville click here: http://www.cinemark.com/need-for-speed .