Looking for America: a review of the crime comedy "Vengeance" from the "Office" star
B.J. Novak's ("The Office") full-length debut is about a vain podcaster who is looking for his voice.
New York journalist Ben (B.J. Novak) wants to start his own podcast, but the producer (Issa Rae), after listening to his ideas, advises him not to scatter theories but to find a good story. The hero's wanderings are interrupted by an unexpected phone call: the man on the other side of the phone informs him that Abilene (Analie Tipton), Ben's girlfriend, has died. Except that the guy doesn't have a steady partner, and at this very moment one of his many acquaintances is lying in bed next to him. Somehow, the New Yorker goes to Texas to attend the funeral of someone he's dated at most twice. The dead woman's brother (Boyd Holbrook) is convinced that the young lady was murdered and offers Ben to avenge his sister's death together. Could this be the right story for a podcast? The ambitious young man takes up the cause and begins to investigate.
If you've seen "The Office," it's easy to see Ben as that same Ryan - the eternal intern in a cramped office who starts off with a deliberately clever look with a pointless speech about the American dream or the problems of modern society. B.J. Novak not only played one of the roles in the sitcom, but was also the show's screenwriter. Not surprisingly, the director's debut project slips familiar comedic overtones, and the plot centers on a character who is both charming and repulsive.
In a satirical manner, the director composes a parable about the unsuccessful attempts to find the spirit of modern America. Ben arrives in the Texas countryside, where he instantly embarks on an exercise in snobbery. The successful white media man looks down on the rural folk, listens with particular interest to the flow of wisdom from the locals (especially the musings of Ashton Kutcher's eccentric character) and contemplates the surrounding landscapes as something exotic. The urban condescension is clearly evident in the carefully constructed dialogues. A superficial remark about the "Chekhov shotgun" turns into a detailed revelation of the characters. It turns out that Ben, unlike the provincial girl, is not familiar with any of the playwright's plays. However, even Sister Ebilen, judging by her comments, has read Uncle Vanya through the lines. It does not really matter who has more knowledge of the Russian classics. The scene is primarily a demonstration of the townspeople's habitual ability to flash their brains before an allegedly ignorant audience. The shotgun, by the way, does indeed fire: both literally and metaphorically. It's worth at least noting how a passing reference to Lana Del Rey leads to an American song playing at the climax. You have to give Novak credit for such minute details.
By the middle of the timeline, stereotypes are turned upside down and people are more complicated than they appear. Predictable for the viewer, but stunning for Ben, initially a smug tourist eager to see an unfamiliar part of the United States, and afterward a locally charmed loner who basks in the unconditional love of his newfound family.
While the hero tries to find winning themes for the podcast, it's as if the director himself keeps picking up the film's path until the credits roll. Alas, the endless search, which mixes detective intrigue, cowboy charm, and sharp social commentary, looks like a Texas desert: plants sprout in some corners, but the overall picture gives the impression of a lifeless canvas.
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