Netflix And Chill: Vengeance (2022)

I heard some good things about Vengeance when it came and went a couple of years ago, because it isn't really the kind of film destined to rule the box office for weeks and months, or even days, but I never made it a priority in my overstuffed viewing schedule. I wasn't sure if it would be a film I could actually enjoy, and I don't consider myself a very big fan of writer-director-star B. J. Novak. Thank goodness streaming services often offer you too many options to bamboozle you into making an unexpected choice, which was the case here. I ended up liking this film. A lot.

Novak plays a New York City writer, Ben Manalowitz, who is living so deep in the surreal silliness of modern "culture" that he cannot step back and see himself for the walking parody that he's become. Not that others would notice either, because everyone in the same bubble is busy being ironic and using their phone screens to swipe their way through love, life, and constant content. Things change for Ben, however, when he is invited to the funeral of a young woman, Abilene, by family members who believe that the two were in a serious relationship (although they were just hooking up). That funeral is in West Texas. Abilene's brother, Ty (Boyd Holbrook), believes that her death was a murder, and believes that everything ties to some of the major criminal names in the area, which gives Ben a chance to overcome the creative block he has been experiencing recently. He sees a family in mourning, he sees people seeking connections and explanations where there may not be any, and he sees an opportunity to create a gripping and successful podcast.

I can see people being irritated by the first act of Vengeance. It is exactly what you expect it to be, and the main character is as annoying to spend time with as you may also expect. Things change quite quickly though, and this becomes clear when the plot truly starts to play out. Novak is surprisingly honest, to a degree, with the people around him, and he explains some of his podcast idea and his need to record conversations and get details that will fill in a full story for listeners. Some take fully to the idea, others view it with suspicion while figuring out a way to make the most of the situation. Novak is smart enough to aim at a number of targets, but he's also smart enough to hit a lot of them. The fact that he does it in a way that keeps everything based in a recognisable reality, after the opening exaggerated observations on modern life, makes it all easier to appreciate. It becomes smart while discarding that initial smugness, becomes sweet without ever being maudlin, and allows the lead character a shot at redemption without needing to turn him into an anointed hero.

While the direction is pretty unspectacular, Novak helps the movie immensely by writing such a great script. He then further helps it all by casting a great mix of actors who all feel well-suited to their roles. Holbrook continues to build an impressive filmography, even if he gradually becomes a less important figure here as the plot unfolds, and the always wonderful Lio Tipton portrays Abilene in the fleeting flashbacks that show us snippets of her life. J. Smith-Cameron is Abilene's mother, and she imbues her character with a grace and comforting presence that ensures she is never the butt of any jokes, while  Isabella Amara, Dove Cameron, and Eli Bickel are very good as the other siblings figuring out how to navigate around the Abilene-shaped void in their lives. Issa Rae is superb as the podcast producer, Eloise, giving Ben notes on how to best shape his story, and Ashton Kutcher feels like a very good fit for his character, Quentin Sellers, a record producer who seems to over-use poetry in a way that might be distracting from whatever soundbites Ben is trying to get from him.

This could have easily been stuffed with the laziest observations and character development, but Novak tries hard to pull a number of threads together into a satisfyingly thick narrative rope. He doesn't entirely succeed, there are one or two scenes that feel out of place because of wanting to underline the reversal of Ben's mindset as he learns more about this Texan town and the people he is growing to like, but he does a lot more than others might have done with similar material. Maybe I'll just have to start looking more closely at projects he has been involved with over the years.

8/10

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