Fast Life

Directed by Harry A. Pollard, Fast Life follows William Haines’ Sandy as he talks his way into a gig working for a millionaire – with the narrative also detailing the relationship that inevitably forms between Sandy and said millionaire’s daughter (Madge Evans’ Shirley). It’s a relatively promising setup that’s employed to mostly underwhelming and tiresome effect by Pollard, as the filmmaker, working from Byron Morgan and Ralph Spence’s screenplay, delivers an erratically-paced comedy that suffers from a recurring emphasis on jokes and gags of a less-than-hilarious nature – with the often eye-rolling bent of such digressions wreaking havoc on the picture’s already-tenuous momentum (and, it goes without saying, cultivating an atmosphere of palpable tedium). And while the chemistry between Haines and Evans’ respective figures is admittedly strong enough to sporadically buoy one’s waning interest, Fast Life builds towards a third act focused on a thoroughly tedious race that effectively ensures it stumbles towards its merciful conclusion – with the end result a completely forgettable misfire that feels awfully long at 82 minutes.

** out of ****