B.J. Novak's writing-directing-starring hat trick, Vengeance, is a thoughtful and humorous film debut packed with the comedian's caustic social commentary; however, much like its main character, the narrative struggles to communicate anything truly memorable about life, death, or the power of storytelling. Novak has a lot to say in Vengeance, tackling everything from hook-up culture, predatory opportunism, and increasing tensions between east coast elitism and heartland conservatism. While the film's central premise (finding the "story" in a murder investigation podcast) provides an excuse for the filmmaker to meander from one idea (and crazy character) to the next, by the end Novak is straining to weave everything together - resulting in some very heavy-handed exchanges that are at-odds with the movie's otherwise deft methods.
In Vengeance, Novak plays New Yorker columnist Ben Manalowitz, an aimless NYC bro who spends his days dreaming up podcast ideas and his evenings bedding one-night stands that he callously anonymizes in his cell phone contacts: i.e. "Brunette Random House Party." Though, when Ben receives a call from Ty Shaw (Boyd Holbrook) informing him that Ben's girlfriend Abilene (aka "Abby Texas" aka one of Ben's hookups, definitely not his girlfriend) recently passed away while visiting her West Texas hometown, the aspiring storyteller decides to travel south to attend Abilene's funeral - only to be drawn into Ty's belief that Abby's death was not an accident and that, instead, she's a murder victim. Seeing Ty as the perfect vehicle through which to tell a story about American denial as well as the country's increasing reliance on conspiracy theory to avoid reality, Ben elects to stay in Texas and begin work on a podcast that would use this "Dead White Girl" and her family as a means to find his own voice.
Novak is no stranger to social commentary, thanks to writer and producer credits on The Office, and Vengeance is loaded with clever ideas, insightful viewpoints, and well-timed laughs. It's an entertaining tale that successfully hews to and then subverts true-crime podcast tropes - providing a fun, and surprisingly accurate, reflection on what makes murder stories so enticing. Abilene's fate, and circumstances that led the Shaw family to believe Ben was Abby's boyfriend, strike a smart balance and provide a fun (but fittingly down-to-earth) twist on expectation that'd be right at home in an actual true-crime investigation.
The film shines when Novak is seated with the Shaw family and living in the aftermath of their grief; yet, as Ben ventures out and makes contact with other individuals (and suspects) that were in Abilene's orbit, Vengeance begins to lose sight of nuanced family drama in favor of quirky caricatures, dense monologues, and predictable conflicts that, with one exception, follow traditional plot setup and payoff templates. As Ben, Novak provides a well-realized performance (not to mention skillful direction). The actor doesn't exactly disappear into the role - as Ben is the kind of uptight, arrogant, and selfish individual that Novak has become famous for playing. Nevertheless, Ben is a solid pilot for the story and Novak commits to the interactions that he's scripted. He meets the moment - albeit if for no other reason than to let his co-stars to shine.
Fortunately, Novak is surrounded by a capable ensemble that viewers will absolutely enjoy. The writer-director takes care to avoid painting the Shaw family (and Texas in general) with mean-spirited stereotypes and, instead, endeavors to unpack the ironies of Lone Star State life with one-part commentary, one-part reverence. The approach provides ample room for the Shaw cast, in particular, to flourish. One scene that perfectly encapsulates this balance sees Abilene's younger sisters Kansas City (Dove Cameron) and Paris (Isabella Amara) complaining about their hometown - only for the girls to turn on Ben when he makes the mistake of joining in.
Boyd Holbrook absolutely thrives as Ty, injecting the character with charm and naivety that make for an electric juxtaposition to Ben. Ty is the motor of the film, pulling Ben down one rabbit hole after another - but his shenanigans never wear out their welcome and Holbrook crafts a surprisingly sincere turn that, in other hands, might have been more comedy and story mechanics than a well-realized, albeit ridiculous, human being. Similarly, J. Smith-Cameron (Succession) shines as Abilene's mother, Sharon, and is responsible for a number of delicate scenes (of emotion, grief, and rage) that go a long way in unpacking what Novak is actually trying to say in Vengeance.
Rounding out the supporting cast is Issa Rae, playing Ben's friend and podcast producer, who is charged as in-film barometer - saying out loud what viewers might be thinking in an effort to ensure the audience understands how they should feel about Ben's actions at any given time - as well as setting the stage for the writer-turned-true-crime podcaster to begin disobeying orders and jeopardizing their project.
Ashton Kutcher is on the delivering side of a couple lengthy scenes of exposition - in which his character, local music producer Quinten Sellers, and Ben discuss the nature of everything from storytelling, to small town life, to the dangers of unfulfilled creative impulse. Novak asks a lot of Kutcher and the former That 70's Show star makes it work but it's dense stuff - and, frankly, not everything works. Lastly, it's worth noting that the most affecting scenes in the movie occur between Ben and Abilene's young brother, nicknamed El Stupido (and played by Elli Abrams) - who carries a side-story that powers one of Vengeance's most cohesive, haunting, and rewarding throughlines.
Vengeance is about what moviegoers likely expect: it's well-written and fun - like just about everything Novak has a hand in crafting. Moment-to-moment scenes come together for an overall satisfying film, one that is sure to play a lot of the right notes for true-crime podcast-obsessed moviegoers. That said, select scenes and characters in the Vengeance lean hard on outright explanation and pontification - making it hard to trust Novak is in complete control of his narrative from beginning to end. Instead, the movie asks a lot of questions and juggles a lot of ideas, most of them good, but key pieces don't stick their landing - undermining the overall impact of what Novak, clearly, intends to say. A missed opportunity, given that "finding your voice" is one idea that Vengeance spends a lot of time exploring.
Vengeance releases July 29th and runs 107 minutes. The film is rated-R for language and brief violence.