Page 30 - ARUBA TODAY

A30 PEOPLE & ARTS
Thursday 23 March 2017
Dax Shepard takes “CHIPS” from primetime to “Bad Boys”

LINDSEY BAHR for any tardiness. The father missing from cinemas in
AP Film Writer of two, a 2-year-old and a the past 15 years — one
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Dax 4-year-old, had been up that doesn’t treat the ac-
Shepard was only 2 when all night with his youngest tion as a throwaway. “I see
“CHiPs” started airing on and was dealing with a hot pretty big budget action
NBC and 8 by the time the water heater replacement movies where there’s a lot
popular series about the while his wife, actress Kris- of cheating going on,” he
California Highway Patrol ten Bell, was out of town. said. “I just get bored when
ended. “People don’t usually bring I watch computer gener-
their own Matcha in here, ated battles in movies. I’ve
In this March 11, 2017 photo, do they?” Shepard asked walked out of more movies
Dax Shepard poses for a the barista, who just shook in the last five years than I
portrait to promote his film, her head “no.” Shepard have my whole life.”
“CHiPs,” at The London Hotel
in West Hollywood, Calif. laughed and ordered an- Shepard took pains to do
Associated Press other. At 42, Shepard has everything practically, from
a few writing and directing the motorcycle stunts to
He remembers the show credits to his name, includ- blowing up propane tanks.
— the sunshine, the motor- ing “Brother’s Justice” and With the exception of one
cycles, the diversity (there “Hit and Run,” but he’s no small shot, nothing in the
weren’t many Latinos in doubt more widely known film is digital.
his hometown of Detroit). for his acting in films like Andrew Panay, who pro-
It was like a vacation from “Idiocracy” and televisions duced “CHIPS,” said
the greyness every night on shows like “Punk’d” and Shepard is an “incredibly
prime time. “Parenthood.” gifted filmmaker,” whose
But it was a faint memory He didn’t have any delu- clear vision and kindness
until recently, when Shepa- sions of his own star power permeates the set. He’s
rd found himself googling to actually open a film. also deft choreographer of
how to spell Poncherello When he pitched his mod- action sequences.
for a joke for a screen- ern vision for “CHiPs,” he “Everything is about timing
play he was writing and actually assumed the stu- and you can’t really mess
came across a photo of dio would go with a proven up when you’re blowing up
Jon and Ponch looking star like Chris Pratt or Chan- cars and splitting trailers in
“kind of cool.” Suddenly ning Tatum for Jon Baker. half..you have one shot to
he saw something else: A But Warner Bros. liked get it and you better get
cool “CHiPs,” in the vein of Shepard, and his plan it,” Panay said.
“Lethal Weapon” or “Bad to cast Michael Pena Getting the right mix of ac-
Boys.” Suffice it to say, the as Ponch, and they got tion and comedy wasn’t all
names might be the same the green light. For one, Shepard had to balance.
(other than some punc- Shepard is an economical As the screenwriter, Shepa-
tuation), but “CHIPS” is not director. “Brother’s Justice” rd also tried to infuse a little
your father’s “CHiPs.” The cost $5,000 to make and bit of his own social con-
once family friendly show “Hit and Run” cost $1 mil- sciousness into the script.
has veered into hard-R ter- lion. They also had the in- There’s an ongoing thread
ritory in the feature film, out tellectual property cushion where Ponch is repulsed
Friday. It’s not an uncom- on their side. “I could have by the thought of touch-
mon practice. “21 Jump never gone to a studio and ing a naked man and the
Street” and its sequel, and said, ‘Hey here’s this origi- two debate whether or not
also “Miami Vice” veered nal comedy called ‘Bon- that’s homophobic.
successfully into the R zone, kers for Motorcycles’ and “I love talking about stuff
as will this summer’s “Bay- it’s me and Michael Pena in an apolitical way. I have
watch” remake. and we need $25 million.’ a unique opportunity be-
And “CHIPS” wasn’t al- They would have never cause I have a very male,
ways going to be that way. done it. I knew if I were go- motorsports fan base to
When Shepard signed on ing to get any movie made bring these things up in a
to write, direct and star in it was going to have to be way that’s not preachy,”
the adaptation, it was envi- within a brand or a prop- Shepard said. “We’re al-
sioned as PG-13 with a $45 erty that provided the stu- ways going to be making
million budget. When that dio with some insurance,” race jokes, sexuality jokes,
was slashed to $25 million, Shepard said. “And then I those jokes are never go-
Shepard insisted on the R. get to make a completely ing away. That’s what co-
“I generally like to see R- original movie that just has medians do. So the fun
rated movies and I think the known title in it.” challenge is how do you
you should make what you From there, Shepard got do it that’s appropriate to
want to consume even to make the action com- 2017? That’s a big juggling
though it’s really tempting edy he’s felt has been act.”q
to make something you
think people want to see,”
he said in a recent inter-
view at a Los Feliz coffee
shop. Shepard blew into the
place, Matcha-filled coffee
mug in hand, apologizing