24 Hour Rental is the story of a former gangster and smalltime criminal named Tracker and his dysfunctional group of friends who get themselves way in over their heads in seedy business. Ace is a dope dealer, Floyd is a cabdriver who’s wife is a working girl and Buzz is a former cop turned drunk; they’re all a bunch of winners. When a homeless junkie winds up leaving Ace with a severed finger wearing a valuable diamond ring, a plot is set in motion that confronts Tracker with returning to his criminal past and possibly losing the video store that has been the front for all of his back alley dealings and goings on.
This show is a great blend of crime drama mixed with really vulgar humor. At times the stories that interweave get a little strained when reaching for shock value or forced comedic effect, but as a whole the narrative works to craft an entertaining and humorous tale of petty criminals screwing up and getting into trouble. The key to the show’s enjoyability really lies with the performances of it’s main characters and the actors portraying the main group are all great.
Tracker, played by Romano Orzari, is a likable and amusing character that just wants to get by under the radar and make some extra cash on the side by letting his friend and associate Ace deal drugs out of the back of his video store. When he becomes involved with two different crime organizations, one led by his brother and the other by an old country maniac, he gets help from his friends to pay his debts and stay alive when shit hits the fan. The jokes are dirty and inappropriate and the supporting cast does a great job of keeping it all afloat.
24 Hour Rental is a solid blend of black comedy mixed with crime and it is worth checking out. The show can drag at times, but then something completely absurd or unpredictable happens and the story moves forward. Director George Mihalka and writer Al Kratina have crafted an engaging first season and where things leave off begs for a follow up and continuation. Michael Biehn, Adam Kenneth Wilson, Aaron Berg and Vlasta Vrana all do great work here. Queue this one up and binge it over a weekend when you feel like some filthy comedy and gangsters. It’s worth it.
Hawkins’ Rating: 
Out of a Possible 5 Stars
