REVIEW: B.J. Novak Can Officially Add Director to his Resume with Vengeance
In Vengeance, New York Journalist, Ben Manalowitz (B.J. Novak) is looking to create the next best podcast. His only problem, he doesn’t have a story to tell. Every story he has pitched to his editor, Eloise (Issa Rae) ends with him back at the drawing board with no end in sight. All seems lost, until he gets a phone call that will change his life. The brother of his sometime hook-up Abilene Shaw (Lio Tipton) is calling to tell him she is dead and he needs to come Texas for her funeral. Skeptical at first, Ben agrees and flies to Texas where he is introduced to Abilene’s family and pulled into a mystery that may lead him to the story he was looking for.
What was refreshing about this story is it didn’t try to be something it wasn’t. The story was extremely simple, featured a few nice twists, and each character introduced was introduced to propel Ben’s story along. You never wanted to learn more about any of the characters except Ben, which is a kudos to Novak’s storytelling abilities. As the writer and director of this film, Novak keeps Ben, and the audience, focused on the prize, finding out what really happened to Abilene. At no point are you chomping at the bit to learn more about Abilene’s family or any of the other characters. Not many first-time directors can say they have accomplished this feat, but Novak does it and does it with ease.
Novak leads the cast as Ben and does a nice job playing the mostly levelheaded journalist. He is joined in the movie by Boyd Holbrook (Abilene’s brother, Ty Shaw), Dove Cameron (Abilene’s sister, Kansas City Shaw), and Ashton Kutcher (record producer Quinten Sellers). All three stars do well alongside Novak, but it is Novak’s story. Cameron is in it very little compared to Kutcher and Holbrook, but she makes every scene she’s in count. Issa Rae plays Ben’s editor and fellow podcaster, Eloise, and my only gripe with her is we didn’t get more scenes between her and Novak. Their banter was one of the better parts of the movie.
Vengeance will leave viewers questioning a number of things when all is said and done, but it isn’t trying to push an agenda. It will make viewers laugh, make them gasp, and leave them feeling satisfied. Is it a great film, no, but it does solidify that directing is something Novak should be doing. Novak is no rookie behind the camera and proves that he knows what he is doing as a director. It will also will leave viewers excited to see his next piece of work.
Grade: B