#50 VENGEANCE

Written, directed and starring B. J. Novak, co-starring Boyd Holbrook, J. Smith-Cameron, Issa Rae, Lio Tipton, Dove Cameron, Issa Rae and Ashton Kutcher. Running time 107 minutes.

When New York blogger and journalist Ben Manalowitz receives a phone-call from Ty Shaw (Boyd Holbrook) the brother of a girl Ben dated twice telling him that she's died of an apparent drug overdose while attending an illegal drug party out in the desert he packs his bags and heads off to the oil fields of Texas for her funeral believing it may be subject he can blog about. Once there he discovers that Ty and his family are adamant Abby Shaw never took drugs and believe she was murdered, and her brother wants bloody revenge. Ben's curiosity piqued, he agrees to investigate and is invited to stay with the girl's family while he does so. it's there with the family that Novak provides the emotional core of the film with a group of characters we come to know and like, mother Sharon, sisters Paris and Kansas City, younger brother 'El Stupido' and Granny Carole. It's this rag-tag bunch of seemingly arch characters that first indicate that there's more to this film that you first expect.

What Ben uncovers as he interviews this band of red-necks won't have a profound impact on the world, won't bring governments to their knees, and won't uncover sinister corruption or even a conspiracy at its centre, or involve a rage filled man on a revenge kick, and boy is that refreshing! Although it does feature a car bombing. 

The film follows Ben as he travels around the small town with Abbey's brother Ty and starts to interview her friends, family, an insanely mellow music producer called Quentin Sellers (Ashton Kutcher), a local drug gangster and the various law enforcement agencies involved in the crime to find out what actually happened and who might of killed her and why? 

This is a thoroughly entertaining and enjoyable film and features some excellent work from the cast, especially Kutcher who delivers a wonderful performance as the laid-back music producer who once helped Abby record a demo album. B.J. Novak who writes and stars in this funny, but not LOL funny, black comedy murder mystery isn't really that concerned as to whodunnit, although he does investigate and does provide a solution to the crime, he's more interested in the characters he meets along the way and in playing with our expectations of rural Texan life. The many characters regularly confound expectation and offer us something other than just generic stereotypes.

It's interesting to watch Novak's buttoned up New York blogger getting a reality check and becoming a better person as he pieces together the crime and structures his blog with his producer Eloise (Issa Rae). The film is languid, although never dull and the payoff while never in doubt is still satisfying and rewarding. 

Hats off to Novak for honing such a satisfying and rewarding movie.

8/10