It’s unusual for a real life couple to have chemistry on screen (don’t ask me why) but Kristen Bell and real-life fiancée Dax Shepard  totally gel in his baby “Hit & Run”. Shepard not only stars, he wrote it and co-directed. Kudos for the acting and clever chat.

It’s a totally unbelievable story with totally believable dialogue, particularly the scenes  with Dax and Kristen . These are conversations  you can see yourself having.  The story? Well, far-fetched (but funny) right from the get go with  Tom Arnold (as a klutsy U.S. Marshal) getting out of  his still-running  truck, wildly shooting to make it stop. Every time his character has a problem, he reaches for his  gun. The joke gets old fast.

Dax plays Charlie Bronson (not as in the actor but as in the British criminal played by Tom Hardy in a truly wonderful film, “Bronson”. But I digress. That’s a joke that’ll fly over most heads).  Anyway, Charlie is living a quiet life in a rural Cali town. He’s in the witness protection program  for testifying about  a bank robbery.  Kristen’s character,  Annie, is totally fine with all this and  perfectly happy living the quiet life with her adoring  boyfriend til she has a shot at her dream  job in L.A. and has to get there the  next day for the make-or-break interview.  Charlie puts himself in danger  returning to L.A. but loves Annie so much, he decides to take her there .  Her ex , who would do anything to break them up, tracks down Charlie’s real identity and the people he nailed in court with all now in hot pursuit. A deadlocked Bradley Cooper is ridiculously funny as the white politically correct guy with ghetto tude.

“Parenthood’s” Shepard is reminiscent of Owen Wilson in his delivery.  He’s a wide-eyed endearing manchild who just wants to start over with the woman he loves. Though inspired by “Smoky and The Bandit”, this one’s no classic.  It does take some unusual turns along the way but the end is never in doubt. It’s at its best as a rom-com. The chase pretty much blows.

2-and-half stars