Veronica Mars
In the arena of moviemaking, the “Veronica Mars” film is
something of a game-changer with it being the first feature-length film to be
funded by Kickstarter. Less than a day after it went live, the page for the
cult television series follow-up had met it’s goal of $2 million and eventually
nearly tripled that number by the time production went underway. Now almost a
year later, the film has made it to a limited number of theater screens
alongside video-on-demand outlets for those who would prefer to watch at home.
Those are the facts of the case. Looking at the film on its own terms is a
whole other matter.
As her 10-year high school reunion approaches, Veronica Mars
is in no hurry to return to her California hometown of Neptune as she gets
ready to take an attorney job in New York City. She wants nothing to do with
the place, and seems to be happy living with college boyfriend Piz. But trouble
comes a calling when her old flame Logan is accused of murdering his singer
girlfriend, and Veronica is pulled back into the seedy world of Neptune.
What’s most apparent from the start of “Veronica Mars,”
after a quick recap of the basic story beats from the show, is that Kristen
Bell’s talents have been totally under-served in the years since the show
ended. Returning to the character that made her famous does wonders to show off
her range as she effortlessly balances sarcastic wit with more dramatic
situations. Underneath her miniature stature and good looks is a force of will
ready to bring the claws out if necessary.
Seemingly everyone with a major role on the show returns
here also, with some exceptions. Enrico Colantoni provides further proof of the
unbreakably heartfelt bond between Keith Mars and his daughter, while Ryan
Hansen’s Dick Casablancas is often around the corner to provide a good laugh.
Given the story, Jason Dohring expectedly gets the most to do of the supporting
cast. Logan has always been an enigma, someone who has a short fuse and keeps
his motives close to the chest, and Dohring’s internalized performance holds
that cloud of mystery.
It’s a shame that the actual mystery doesn’t carry the same
weight. Series creator Rob Thomas and frequent writing partner Diane Ruggiero
can spin a good yarn as it moves along, punched up by their snappy dialogue.
However, the seams begin showing as Thomas indulges in character cameos, with
the most egregious being a subplot for Weevil that is simultaneously rushed and
awkwardly scotch-taped into the film to leave threads dangling for a sequel.
Giving old favorites their due is fun and all until it
begins to get in the way of the important stuff, leaving the mystery resolution
flat even as it serves up a tensely directed final encounter. More interesting
is how the film handles Veronica’s character arc and how that fits into her
larger story. As a narrative that takes place nearly a decade after the show
ended, the film ends up feeling more like a return to the status quo than it
does a full-on advancement.
However, a big part of Veronica is her addictive
personality, always needing to scratch that itch fed by helping people out with
their problems. Even when her actions turn self-destructive there’s an innate
compulsion to dive back into a hairy position. The “Veronica Mars” movie generally
feels like it’s dealing with a similar problem as it serves the fan desires
that pushed forth its creation. Sometimes what a fan needs is more important
than what they want, and Thomas often finds himself favoring the latter.
2.5/4
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