Year: 2014
Runtime: 94 mins
Language: English
Director: Joe Carnahan
A struggling limo driver, trying to stay out of trouble and pay off a debt, accepts a job that quickly turns perilous. His passenger is erratic and carries a ledger containing incriminating information about dangerous criminals. As the night unfolds, the driver finds himself caught in a dangerous game, desperately trying to protect the ledger and survive the night.
Warning: spoilers below!
Haven’t seen Stretch yet? This summary contains major spoilers. Bookmark the page, watch the movie, and come back for the full breakdown. If you're ready, scroll on and relive the story!
Read the complete plot breakdown of Stretch (2014), including all key story events, major twists, and the ending explained in detail. Discover what really happened—and what it all means.
Kevin “Stretch” Brzyzowski, a failed actor turned limo driver in Los Angeles, drifts through life tethered to cocaine, alcohol, and gambling. Patrick Wilson anchors Stretch with a weary, jittery charm, giving the impression that luck is his only real skill. After a reckless car accident leaves him physically unscathed, he confronts the other driver, Candace, Brooklyn Decker and instantly falls in love. Over a year of dating, Stretch finds the nerve to ditch his addictions and propose, but Candace abruptly breaks up with him to be with a wealthy athlete. This heartbreak kicks off a self-destructive spiral: he stays sober in body, yet carries a $6,000 gambling debt to the Mexican mafia, and begins hearing the bitter ghost of Karl, a failed actor and limo driver who killed himself before two customers. Karl is portrayed by Ed Helms and surfaces in unsettling, hallucinatory conversations that blur the line between memory and madness.
Stretch’s boss, Naseem, Shaun Toub, warns him that their chief competitor, a mysterious man known only as The Jovi, Randy Couture has been stealing their clients. Unless Stretch can steal clients from The Jovi, Naseem will be forced to fold the business. The mafia also demands that Stretch resolve his debt by midnight. Stretch begs Charlie, Jessica Alba, a sympathetic coworker, to direct any high-paying customers his way, since a generous tip is his only hope for paying in time. Although unsure how he will solve his problems, Stretch sets up a blind date with a woman online, hoping romance might offer a temporary reprieve from the escalating pressure.
When The Jovi steals Stretch’s first client, the iconic actor David Hasselhoff, David Hasselhoff makes a fleeting appearance in this chaotic ride. Charlie then sends Stretch to intercept one of The Jovi’s clients: Ray Liotta, Ray Liotta, a menacing presence who is filming a project at the studio. Liotta tasks Stretch with returning a prop pistol and badge to the production lot, but before Stretch can complete the simple task, Charlie pushes him toward another high-ticket client: Roger Karos, Chris Pine, an eccentric and hedonistic millionaire who promises to pay Stretch’s debt if he serves him for the night, no questions asked. Karos orders to be dropped off at a secretive sex club and gives Stretch 99 minutes to see a certain man across town, then return with an important briefcase and a supply of cocaine. Stretch’s mission becomes a high-stakes scavenger hunt across the city, filled with dazzling surfaces and dangerous loyalties.
Stretch’s path leads him to Laurent, James Badge Dale, a French criminal who is promised some mysterious ledgers in exchange for the contents of the briefcase. Knowing nothing of the ledgers, Stretch improvises a plan: he uses Liotta’s prop gun and badge to impersonate a police officer, and Laurent’s gang surrenders the briefcase. As he leaves the nightclub, he sees Candace again and revels in the illusion that he has become somebody important, briefly pleased by the attention.
Back at Naseem’s operations, trouble erupts as the mafia complains about missing props and the limo’s operating system is shut down via remote access. Boris, Matthew Willig, The Jovi’s brother who operates a tow truck, arrives to tow the limo away. Stretch murders time with a risky bluff, persuading the security-system operator that his life is on the line in a gunfight, restoring the car’s status and escaping. He then secures Karos’s requested cocaine from a reality-television star, who ends up stealing the limo, only for Stretch to reclaim it—and Boris to close in again. A tense highway pursuit follows as Stretch dials chaos into a daring escape, detaching the limo from the tow truck to outrun the threat.
Karos growls that Stretch is one minute late with the debt payment, and the Mexican mafia presses for results as the night wears on. Karos coldly abandons Stretch to The Jovi, Boris, and the mafia, revealing that he never planned to tip him the $6,000. Laurent arrives to arrest Karos, and when Karos makes a lethal move on Laurent, Stretch creates a diversion, saves Laurent’s life, and slips away into the morning light.
The next morning, Stretch delivers the ledgers to Laurent, who declines to arrest him and complements Stretch’s acting, acknowledging that tonight’s caper was a performance of risk and improvisation. At the diner where he arranged the blind date, Stretch scans the room and finally discovers that his date is Charlie. The moment of recognition gives way to laughter and a kiss, signaling a fragile but hopeful new chapter for both of them as they face an uncertain future together.
Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 16:05
Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.
Desperate protagonists racing against the clock in a single, high-stakes evening.If you liked the non-stop, high-stakes action of Stretch, you'll enjoy these movies about a single chaotic night. These films feature desperate characters racing against the clock, facing escalating dangers, and fighting to survive until sunrise.
These narratives unfold in real-time or over a single evening, forcing a protagonist to navigate a series of escalating and unpredictable challenges. The confined timeframe creates immense pressure, where every decision is critical and there's no room for error, leading to a frantic and propulsive story.
They are grouped by their shared structure of a compressed timeline, creating a consistent feeling of urgency, chaotic energy, and high-anxiety survival against overwhelming odds.
High-stakes action meets nervous laughter, where the humor is born from sheer desperation.Seeking more movies with the same anxious, jittery energy and dark humor as Stretch? This thread gathers thrillers and action comedies where the tension is high, but the characters find laughs in the midst of chaos and desperation.
The story balances serious threats and high-intensity action with a stream of situational and character-driven humor. The comedy often stems from the protagonist's flawed coping mechanisms, surreal encounters, or the sheer absurdity of their perilous circumstances, providing relief without deflating the stakes.
They share a unique tonal blend of high anxiety and dark comedy, creating a vibe that is simultaneously thrilling, stressful, and funny, often centered on a relatable but deeply stressed protagonist.
Don't stop at just watching — explore Stretch in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what Stretch is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.
Track the full timeline of Stretch with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.
Discover the characters, locations, and core themes that shape Stretch. Get insights into symbolic elements, setting significance, and deeper narrative meaning — ideal for thematic analysis and movie breakdowns.
Get a quick, spoiler-free overview of Stretch that covers the main plot points and key details without revealing any major twists or spoilers. Perfect for those who want to know what to expect before diving in.
Visit What's After the Movie to explore more about Stretch: box office results, cast and crew info, production details, post-credit scenes, and external links — all in one place for movie fans and researchers.