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Plot Summary

22 Chaser (2018) Plot Summary Explained

Release, runtime and language
2018 · 90 min · English
JustWatch #26,725 2
Directed by
Rafal Sokolowski
Starring
John Corbett, Aaron Ashmore, Kaniehtiio Horn, Rob Archer, Raoul Trujillo, Brian J. Smith

A determined tow truck driver enters a dangerous competition where reckless drivers battle for supremacy. Driven by a desire to be the best, he faces intense chases and escalating risks in a fight for the title of king of the road. The competition tests his skills and pushes him to his limits in a thrilling display of speed and survival.

On this page (6)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 What happens: full plot
  3. 3 Plot questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Movies like 22 Chaser
  6. 6 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch 22 Chaser (2018)

Where can you watch 22 Chaser? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on Amazon Prime Video, Hoopla and Amazon MX Player: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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Full plot summary · contains spoilers

What Happens in 22 Chaser: Full Plot Summary

The whole story of 22 Chaser (2018) explained, from the opening scene to the final frame: every key event, every twist and what it all adds up to. Read it as a quick recap before the sequel, to check a scene you missed, or to finally understand what really happened.

Ben Dankert, portrayed by Brian J. Smith, works as a tow truck driver who unexpectedly witnesses a collision involving a truck and a bicycle. Offering his help, he encounters his rival, Elvis, played by Shaun Benson, who misleadingly suggests the cyclist is at fault. Believing that fellow driver Aaron Ashmore will act fairly, Ben advises the truck's driver to reach out to him for assistance. Later, Ben finds himself entangled in a precarious situation, having only turned in a single dispatch slip after a police detainment over his 911 call regarding the accident.

Ben and his wife, Avery (played by Kaniehtiio Horn), have moved to Toronto with Ben's modest inheritance in hopes of escaping a toxic family life. Balancing their struggles as a tow truck driver for Jackrabbit Towing and a diner cook, they find it increasingly difficult to provide for their son, Zach, portrayed by Jack Fulton. Often bullied as "white trash" at school, Zach's life is overshadowed by poverty. In a bid to encourage his son, Ben promises to buy him a $300 bicycle for his birthday, hoping it will motivate Zach to refrain from violence and embrace character. Both Ben and Avery view their jobs as stepping stones toward their dreams—Ben aspires to open his own garage while Avery wishes to enroll in culinary school, yet their financial limitations trap them in a harsh cycle.

One day, Ben encounters Wayne (played by Raoul Trujillo), an intersection chaser who shares insights about earning substantial money from accident referrals. As the financial strain mounts, Avery voices her concerns about their meager resources, which leaves little for even basic needs. Ben later returns to the dispatch office, only to find his unscrupulous boss, Bissey (John Kapelos), enforcing a new mandate that forces drivers to lease their trucks, deepening their financial woes.

With the pursuit of a lucrative police contract that could turn their fortunes around, Ben turns to the loan shark Ray (Aidan Devine), a police constable, for a $5,000 loan—requiring him to pay $750 weekly. Unfortunately, his attempts to stabilize their financial situation begin to crumble when he's late on the first repayment. Ray’s threats become dire and personal, pushing Ben further into desperation. Meanwhile, Avery finds herself entangled with Sean, played by Aaron Ashmore, a high school friend of Ben's who seems interested in her, adding another layer of complexity to their fragile relationship.

Torn between moral integrity and financial desperation, Ben ventures into the cutthroat world of the chasers—tow truck drivers who exploit accident scenes. As he teams up with Wayne and Elvis, they race to emergencies, with Ben's ethics continuously colliding with the unscrupulous practices of his colleagues. In one high-stakes incident, he assists a homeless woman, only to be confronted by the harsh realities of the job's consequences.

Ben's life spirals further as he seeks to repay Ray while also navigating rebellious behavior from Zach, who now struggles with fitting in. As tensions rise, Avery's frustration with their situation leads to a confrontation. Just when hope seems lost, Ben’s determination ignites a fierce drive for change. He begins to take desperate measures to reclaim control, such as puncturing a rival's tires and even resorting to illegal tactics to secure work.

In a twist of fate, Ben’s rapid actions lead to unexpected opportunities, and he eventually seeks to pay off his debts while offering Ray an alternative partnership. However, the weight of his decisions looms heavily as the threads of family and business intertwine. As Ben sits with Avery, revealing that he has procured the bicycle for Zach, the tension heightens with the ringing of another accident call—reminding them how precarious their situation truly is.

Last updated: November 04, 2024 at 00:41

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Plot questions answered

22 Chaser Plot Explained: Your Questions Answered

The questions people ask most about 22 Chaser (2018): what happens in the confusing scenes, why the characters do what they do, the twists, hidden details and what the ending means. Each answer contains spoilers.

Q1

Why does Ben become a chaser in 22 Chaser?

Ben becomes a chaser because of extreme financial pressure. After his boss Bissey mandates that drivers must lease their trucks, Ben's already strained income drops further. When his family can't afford basic needs and he struggles to keep his promise to buy his son a $300 birthday bicycle, fellow driver Wayne introduces him to the lucrative world of accident referrals. Desperate to escape poverty and provide for his family, Ben enters the cutthroat chaser world despite knowing it conflicts with his moral values.

Foreshadowing: Wayne's earlier explanation about the money to be made from accident referrals plants the seed for Ben's eventual decision.

  • chaser
  • tow truck
  • financial desperation
  • accident referrals
  • Ben Dankert
Q2

What is a chaser in the movie?

A chaser is a tow truck driver who races to accident scenes before other drivers to secure the job of towing damaged vehicles. They exploit the chaos of accidents to earn money from referrals, often getting paid by police, insurance companies, or body shops for bringing in vehicles. The job is competitive and often involves unethical tactics, with drivers racing each other to accident sites in a dangerous game called "intersection racing."

  • chaser
  • tow truck driver
  • accident scene
  • intersection racing
  • towing
Q3

Why does Ben borrow money from Ray the loan shark?

Ben borrows $5,000 from Ray, a police constable who operates as a loan shark, because he desperately needs money to maintain his tow truck and keep working. Bissey's new lease requirement threatens to put Ben out of business entirely. Ray's loan offers a quick solution, but comes with an impossible repayment schedule of $750 per week, more than Ben earns. This creates the central pressure that drives Ben toward increasingly desperate choices.

Foreshadowing: The financial strain from Bissey's new mandate directly forces Ben to seek outside funding.

  • loan shark
  • Ray
  • $5000 loan
  • $750 weekly
  • financial desperation
  • Bissey
Q4

Why does Ben puncture the rival's tires?

Ben punctures a rival chaser's tires as a desperate tactic to gain a competitive edge in the cutthroat towing industry. After falling behind on his loan payments to Ray and facing threats, Ben resorts to illegal tactics to secure more accident calls. This moment represents his moral decline, he abandons his ethical standards in exchange for survival, showing how financial desperation corrupts his character.

Foreshadowing: His earlier ethical conflicts with fellow chasers Wayne and Elvis foreshadow this moral breaking point.

  • tires
  • rival
  • desperation
  • illegal tactics
  • competition
  • chaser
Q5

Why does Avery become involved with Sean?

Avery drifts toward Sean, Ben's high school friend, because the family's relentless financial stress creates emotional distance between her and Ben. Working two jobs and constantly worrying about money leaves little energy for their marriage. Sean appears sympathetic and offers emotional support during Ben's increasing obsession with work and survival. This subplot highlights how poverty strains relationships and creates vulnerability.

Foreshadowing: Avery's earlier complaints about their meager resources foreshadow her emotional vulnerability.

  • Avery
  • Sean
  • affair
  • marriage
  • financial stress
  • emotional distance
Q6

What does the ending mean when Ben gets the bicycle?

The ending presents bittersweet hope. Ben finally buys Zach the $300 bicycle he promised, symbolizing a small victory as a father and a moment of family unity despite their circumstances. However, as Ben and Avery sit together, another accident call rings in, reminding them the cycle of danger continues. The ambiguous ending suggests Ben's problems aren't resolved; he's trapped in the same perilous lifestyle that nearly destroyed him, with the final ring underscoring how quickly their fragile stability could collapse.

Foreshadowing: The bicycle represents Ben's original motivation for entering the dangerous chaser world.

  • bicycle
  • birthday
  • Zach
  • ending
  • ambiguous
  • accident call
Q7

Why does Ben trust Aaron Ashmore at the accident scene?

Ben trusts Aaron Ashmore because he believes Aaron is an honest, fair-minded driver who will handle the accident situation properly. When Ben encounters rival Elvis misleading him about the cyclist being at fault, Ben advises the truck driver to contact Aaron instead, thinking Aaron will do the right thing. This trust reflects Ben's initial moral character before financial desperation corrupts his judgment later in the film.

  • Aaron Ashmore
  • trust
  • accident
  • Elvis
  • cyclist
Q8

Why does Bissey's truck lease mandate matter?

Bissey's mandate requiring tow truck drivers to lease their vehicles from the company is crucial because it pushes Ben deeper into financial crisis. Previously, Ben owned his truck outright, but the new policy forces him to pay additional fees he can't afford. This policy change is the catalyst that drives Ben to seek the loan from Ray and ultimately enter the dangerous chaser world, demonstrating how corporate policies directly impact working-class families.

Foreshadowing: The timing of Bissey's announcement directly precedes Ben's decision to visit Ray.

  • Bissey
  • lease
  • truck
  • dispatch office
  • financial policy
  • Jackrabbit Towing
Q9

Why is the $300 bicycle important to Zach and Ben?

The bicycle represents Ben's hope to give Zach a better life and prevent him from following a destructive path. Zach is bullied as "white trash" at school and faces poverty. Ben promises the $300 bicycle to motivate Zach to avoid violence and develop good character. The bicycle becomes a symbol of Ben's determination to be a good father despite their circumstances, and acquiring it drives much of Ben's desperate behavior throughout the film.

  • Zach
  • bicycle
  • birthday
  • bullying
  • white trash
  • father son
Q10

What does Ben offer Ray at the end?

In an attempt to resolve his debt and secure his future, Ben offers Ray a partnership opportunity rather than just repayment. This suggests Ben is trying to leverage his position within the chaser network to give Ray ongoing returns, creating a business arrangement between them. The offer reflects Ben's increasing immersion in the criminal underside of the towing industry, as he now operates within the same corrupt system as his loan shark.

Foreshadowing: Ben's growing competence in the chaser world makes him a valuable business partner.

  • Ray
  • partnership
  • debt
  • business
  • loan shark
  • chaser network

Movie threads

More Movies Like 22 Chaser, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes 22 Chaser tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Movies about desperate blue-collar crime like 22 Chaser

Ordinary people pushed to the brink by financial desperation and moral compromise. If you liked the high-stakes world of 22 Chaser, you'll find similar thrills here. This collection features movies about ordinary people driven to crime by financial desperation, sharing a tense, gritty tone and heavy emotional weight. Discover films like 22 Chaser where the pressure to provide leads to a dangerous moral collapse.

  • gritty
  • desperate
  • high-stakes
  • oppressive
  • anxious
  • urgent
  • Tone: tense, bleak
  • Pacing: fast, urgent
Why these movies?

The story pattern: Stories in this thread typically follow a protagonist tethered to a legitimate but struggling life—a job, a family—who is pushed by a specific financial crisis into a high-risk, criminal underworld. The journey is defined by escalating stakes, ethical compromises, and the constant threat of losing everything, often culminating in an ambiguous or bleak resolution.

Why they belong together: These movies are grouped by their shared foundation in economic anxiety, a gritty and oppressive mood, and a focus on the moral conflict inherent in survival. They deliver a tense, high-intensity experience rooted in relatable fears about debt and providing for one's family.

Movies about high-stakes workplace survival like 22 Chaser

Cutthroat professional environments where the job itself becomes a life-or-death competition. For viewers who enjoyed the competitive, dangerous world of 22 Chaser, this section highlights movies with similar high-stakes workplace environments. These films share a fast pace, tense tone, and explore narratives where characters risk everything for professional dominance or mere survival in a cutthroat system.

  • urgent
  • high-stakes
  • cutthroat
  • dangerous
  • competitive
  • gritty
  • Tone: tense, urgent
  • Pacing: fast, relentless
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative pattern involves a protagonist deeply entrenched in a dangerous profession or competition. Their drive to win or simply keep their head above water leads to a series of escalating physical and ethical challenges. The plot is often a relentless sequence of high-risk scenarios that test the character's limits, with the workplace itself serving as the primary arena for conflict.

Why they belong together: These films are united by their immersive, high-pressure settings where the protagonist's livelihood is directly tied to perilous action. They share a fast pace, high intensity, and a tense atmosphere created by the immediate, tangible threats of the profession, making the viewer feel the constant urgency of survival.

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Every angle

22 Chaser (2018) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about 22 Chaser in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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