IN A NUTSHELL:
A writer from New York City attempts to solve the murder of a girl he hooked up with and travels down south to investigate the circumstances of her death and discover what happened to her.
The intriguing movie was written and directed by B. J. Novak, famous for his role in the popular TV show The Office. But wait, there’s more. He also stars in it! This was his directorial debut. He offers social commentary and a compelling performance in this quirky mystery.
THINGS I LIKED:
- B.J. Novak proves he is talented in so many ways. Congratulations to him.
- Ashton Kutcher was mesmerizing in his role, spouting off profound philosophical ideas that you accept and reject at the same time while laughing.
- The rest of the cast members were fantastic, creating rich characters and insights. They include Issa Rae, Boyd Holbrook, J. Smith-Cameron, Dove Cameron, Isabella Amara, and Lio Tipton.
- The opening scene is ridiculous and hilarious and sad all at the same time. One hundred percent. Ha ha
- I love that the audience goes on the journey with the journalist, uncovering revealing details at the same time.
- I’ve walked past many “Whataburger” shops in recent years. What am I missing?
- The humor and situations are extremely entertaining, pithy, and offer interesting social commentary.
- I hadn’t seen the trailer before I started watching the movie and even still, the movie wasn’t quite what I expected.
- The mystery keeps you intrigued to find out if something nefarious actually happened or if it’s all a delusion.
THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE:
- Some of the camera shots were rough, possibly intentionally but also possibly because of the new director’s choices.
- One of the characters does something so outrageous that I just couldn’t buy it.
- The humor isn’t guffaw-worthy, but much more deep, sarcastic, and insightful.
TIPS FOR PARENTS:
- Kids will probably be bored.
- Some profanity.
- Talk of murder
- Talk of drugs
- You see a dead body being dragged.
THEMES:
- Vengeance
- Regrets
- Truth
- The pieces of our life
- Social media
- Judging others
- Cultural appropriation
- Humanity
- Loneliness
- Texas life
You can see the full review on the Movie Review Mom YouTube channel.
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