“Vengeance” Review
(Right) Ben (B.J. Novak) interviews a local music producer (Ashton Kutcher) about a mysterious death in West Texas in “Vengeance,” Novak’s feature film debut as a writer/director.
To most people, B.J. Novak is either known as Smithson “The Little Man” Utivich from Quentin Tarantino’s “Inglourious Basterds” or as Ryan Howard in “The Office.” However, he’s also an accomplished writer and director, working behind the scenes on shows like “The Office.” His work has resulted in some of my favorite episodes of the series and also made me think “what would happen if he directed his own film?” The answer to that question is “Vengeance,” a wonderfully satirical comedy which pushes the boundaries of dark humor and combines it with a philosophical edge.
Ben Manalowitz (B.J. Novak) is a podcaster and journalist who is seeking a project with more meaning than his past work. One night, he gets a call informing him that Abilene Shaw (Lio Tipton), a girl he used to hook up with, has died of a drug overdose and that the family wants him to be at the funeral since they believe he was her serious boyfriend. Upon arriving in West Texas for the funeral, Ben is caught off guard when Abilene’s brother Ty (Boyd Hollbrook) tells him that he thinks Abilene was murdered. As Ben digs deeper, he decides to make an investigative podcast centered on her murder which uncovers something he never expected to see.
As the lead actor, the writer and the director, “Vengeance” is unmistakably B.J. Novak’s film and it is exceptionally crafted. The script alone is one of the year’s best as the mystery surrounding Abilene’s death constantly changes throughout the film, keeping the audience on the edge of their seat. Was she murdered or was this an overdose? Is this part of a conspiracy or is it a standalone tragedy? The answer to these questions is always unclear which makes for an unpredictable narrative.
On “The Office,” B.J. Novak had a talent for combining the uncomfortable with the hilarious, resulting in some of the series’ best episodes like “Diversity Day,” “Local Ad” and “Sexual Harrassment,” all of which he wrote. He also directed one of the most uncomfortably funny episodes of any television series, “Scott’s Tots,” which is one of my top ten favorite episodes of the series.
I say all of this because if you love this kind of humor, then you will be laughing constantly during a screening of “Vengeance.” The audience I saw the film with was having the time of their lives because this is easily one of the year’s funniest films. The premise of a blue state journalist going to West Texas promises to result in humor from the conflicting lifestyles and it delivers tenfold.
While Novak does mock Texas and its eccentricities, it’s never done out of malice. The humor not only shows some of the Lone Star State’s shortcomings, but also reminds us why Texas is a beautiful state including its environment, pastimes, people and food (Whataburger is the subject of at least five hilarious jokes and, as someone who hails from Portillo’s country, I understand Texans’ attachment to that restaurant).
As an actor, Novak is perfect as the fish-out-of-water who is searching for a story, despite not knowing if one is there. The character growth of Ben is outstanding and it’s a character arc worth seeing.
Abilene’s family are all likable characters and the bond Ben forms with them, especially with Ty and Abilene’s brother Mason (Elli Abrams Bickel), is actually touching. Despite not knowing her well, the more Ben looks into Abilene’s life and records her family members talking about her, the more the true meaning of the film shines through.
The film is not only a touching drama, a hilarious comedy and a compelling mystery, it also is a startling commentary on attention-seeking fame, true crime podcasts and the obsession we have with online records of our lives. Many of these themes are brought into the story by Ashton Kutcher’s amazing performance as local music producer Quinten Sellers. If you see this film, Kutcher’s supporting performance will be on your mind long after the film has ended.
With an incredible directorial debut, I’m shocked it took this long for B.J. Novak to make a film. However, if it took all this time to research and write this story, I’d say it was time well spent. “Vengeance” is one of those rare films that tries to appeal to everyone and succeeds. It’s got grit, it’s got love, it’s got substance and it’s got more than enough entertainment to keep me satisfied.
