From race tracks to romance, there’s nothing slow-paced about One Fast Move. The action film — which is directed by Kelly Blatz and premieres globally on Prime Video August 8 — stars KJ Apa as Wes, a recently discharged soldier who tracks down his estranged father (Eric Dane) to help him pursue his dream of becoming a professional motorcycle racer.
Along the way, he finds a mentor in motorcycle shop owner Abel (Edward James Olmos) and strikes up a sizzling connection with a small-town waitress, Camila (Maia Reficco).
Wes and Camila’s love story is at the heart of the film, and it’s one twisty ride. To celebrate the movie’s release, The Nerds of Color sat down with Apa and Reficco to chat about working together, the most heart-racing scenes they shot, and what makes the dynamic between their characters so electrifying.
The duo hit the ground running from the very beginning. There was no chemistry read—instead, Reficco explains, they just went “straight into it.” During her first day on set, they shot several high-stakes scenes: Wes and Camila’s big fight, their “big physical scene,” and the moment where they go for a spin on Wes’ motorcycle.
“The first day was so intense, but at the same time was really fun, because it set a precedent. Like, ‘We’re good. We’re golden,’” Reficco says. “It was a very intense first day of shooting, but it was so welcoming and so lovely. KJ was wonderful to work with, and above all, Kelly [Blatz] was just the best leader that I could have asked for, especially coming into such an intense first day.”
Wes and Camila’s relationship is definitely no slow burn, but to Apa, that’s what makes their romance work so well within the context of the overall story. “It’s one of those relationships that just moves quickly,” he says. “It’s like a ball rolling down a hill that keeps moving faster and faster — which is cool, because of what we’re dealing with in terms of the racing and how [Wes’] relationship with his dad is moving so quickly too. All of these relationships are moving at speed; there’s no slow pace.”
“The getting to know each other, the physicality, the romance, all happens quite fast,” he adds of Wes and Camila. “There’s a fire to it, you know?”
Yet, as fast-paced as the film is, the two characters also manage to find a sense of calmness in each other’s presence. As Apa puts it, Camila makes Wes “feel safe,” which in turn enables him to open up more.
“Watching them be so real amid so much chaos is very beautiful,” Reficco says. “There’s something so raw about KJ’s performance and how he played Wes. I think that groundedness and authenticity is so tangible when it comes to love. With Wes, he’s just authentic.”
For Reficco, the film felt “so real” that she even found herself getting genuinely emotional during their fight scene. “I think I felt as on edge as Camila was feeling,” she says. “I’m a very sensitive person, so whenever I’m [acting out] a scene like that, I get emotional about it.”
One Fast Move is available to stream on Prime Video.
This interview has been condensed for length and clarity.