Like Cleveland Indians baseball great Jake Taylor this movie calls its shot and then wonderfully, blissfully nails it.
In Major League, Taylor pretended he was going to hit it out of the park and then squeezed a bunt into a game-winning play that confounded the defense.
Here writer/director BJ Novak uses the lure of podcast satire and a Texas murder mystery to “Tell the story of America.”
Not a story about America but the story of where America is today. You know, the whole, what’s happening to the country? Kind of story.
It’s the sort of thing that when a character in a movie says it you probably shrug. This movie suggests that telling the story of America is a joke, a fake out and that the flick will really be a bunt that still scores a game-winning run.
And then Novak just hits it out of the park.
Novak has a great arsenal and hits nearly every shot he fires.
First, the cast playing the grieving family all burn bright. Each brings a little something to their respective roles and manages to be tough and smart. My only issue was that it is hard to separate J. Smith-Cameron from her breakout role as Geri on Succession.
That’s not anyone’s fault it’s just the way it is when you are the main character in a show that overtakes the public consciousness.
Second, Novak is never willing to let himself or the script boil the people from Texas down to cliche. Or maybe they are initially stock “southern people” but the movie is unwilling to let them remain that way. Each, in their own way, is allowed to live in three dimensions.
Meanwhile, Novak’s character is a smug New York schmuck type but he’s also willing to listen and learn.
Everyone here is a little more than they seem.
There is a moment, late in the movie, that allows the blue-state guy to yell at the red-state folks. Basically, every political grievance is hurled for a moment at the grieving family.
It’s ugly and most of the movie disagrees with it. But regardless of its accuracy, it’s certainly felt on both sides of the divide.
It may be one of the few moments that doesn’t quite work. It feels a little too much like the screenwriter working out some issues, instead of going to therapy.
But most of the movie consists of the Texas folks being both more charming and more intelligent than Novak’s character expects. And Novak’s character being willing to expand his horizons and accepting people for who they are.
Another strong weapon is a tight script that manages to be funny and compelling.
There’s a spectacular joke about Chekov’s gun and another about a famous movie. I’m sure you wouldn’t think either of those things would be ripe for humor but here it works.
The movie also sets up several mysteries, including the big murder mystery but also small mysteries/problems along the way.
What’s the victim’s phone code? Who blew up a car? Who is moving drugs into the area? Why did the body get left where it is?
I don’t want to give too much away but the solutions to each of these are fun and make sense.
And then, after all this, Novak has a secret weapon.
Would you believe it’s Ashton Kutcher? Really, he’s great in this. He plays Novak’s sort of spiritual guide to Texas. A cosmic cowboy turned record producer who manages to explain not just the state but the country to our detective.
Kutcher ambles off with every scene he’s in and makes it look as easy as sippin’ tea on a front porch.
Again, the acting is universally great even if the low budget occasionally creates some small flaws.
In some moments, it is almost like you can see the green screen. There was a shot or two that felt off in a way I can’t describe. Essentially you could at times see the seams where someone had to go back and do a reshoot.
Novak is probably a little too old to play a guy who is living out his Tinder years and just starting out on a writing/podcasting career.
Issa Rae is great in this but a lot of her section feels superfluous.
Thanks to Knives Out murder mysteries are once again in vogue. I have no idea how successful this was but I dearly hope Novak makes another one.
Send him to California this time.
This country is strange and surprising from sea to shining sea.
B.J. Novak learned a lot about himself — and Texas — while working on ‘Vengeance’
Dark Highways 