'Veronica Mars' & 'Cheap Thrills' Reviews

Veronica Mars is the seven years in the making, kickstarter funded, full length feature follow up to the teenage detective TV series of the same name. We encounter Veronica, as always impeccably portrayed by Kristen Bell, 9 years after the end of the TV show. Veronica is living in NYC, post law school, and interviewing for a job at a prestigious law firm. Veronica is on the precipice of a well paying job and taking the next step in her contented relationship with season 3's Piz when she gets a call from sometimes-villain always-dreamy Logan Echolls who is once again involved in a murder. The opportunity to gumshoe is too inviting and Veronica drops everything to head back to Neptune.

It is satisfying to revisit all the beloved characters of the original series, see how they've changed, and there is excitement in the parade of celebrity cameos(with a wonderful turn by Gabby Hoffmann). But the fundamental crime-solving mysteries of the show are some what lacking in it's big screen release. With numerous hanging threads, seemingly underdeveloped narrative, and plodding rhymes the story itself doesn't come close to the tight streamlined magic of seasons 1, 2, and is more on par with the compromised season 3.

Fans of the show will be delighted simply to see Veronica again but new comers to the character will not be enticed to unearth the VM cannon. They will more likely be confused. The film is bogged down by the desire and need to hit as many pre-established characters as it can at the expense of overall cohesion and focus.

Pleasant but ultimately unrealized.

Rent It.

Cheap Thrills is a dark comedy about two down-on-their luck high school friends who encounter each other by chance at a bar then get drawn into a series of contests by a mysterious rich couple. Each contest has a monetary prize starting off relatively low for relatively innocuous things but stakes raise as the propositions becoming more violent and destructive.

The film rests mostly on Pat Healy as Craig the husband and father with the most to lose(and gain) with Ethan Embry(buffed up and gruffed up since Can't Hardly Wait) as his mob debt collector friend mostly remaining two dimensional. Healy is unaccustomed and not quite qualified to be the lead in a film and his discomfort and inexperience shows. David Koechner(Colin) is the shinning star with a casual perversity he gently orchestrates the twisted tale doing the bidding of Sara Paxton(Violet) who, unfortunately, has virtually nothing to do.

The stunts accelerate to a thrilling fever pitch and the question is raised(and answered) what will people do for money? How far will they go? The ensuing emotional crescendos and carnage are exciting and it is satisfying to see the narrative draw mercilessly forward to its logical end. The theme or thesis is somewhat unclear, it is one thing to put these guys in this situation and see what they do but the film neglects to draw any conclusion. Through a sacrificing of character development for focus on brutal acts the deeper message the film tries to address is not realized.

Brutal, brave, and bizarre. Fun but lacking depth.

Rent It.