Just saw the movie today and agree with your analysis. My husband has never used any social media, is not computer literate, and just has a flip phone. When we left the theater I spent some time trying to explain the film to him, but he has such a lack of experience that he couldn’t get into the movie (and he’s probably better off for it). We did agree that, regardless of his understanding of the plot, Ashton Kutcher was great.
Yeah Ashton Kutcher was my favorite performance as well, he was excellent! And your husband sounds like my mother haha she also wouldn’t click with this movie so I totally understand where you’re coming from. But I’m really glad you enjoyed it and could appreciate it, it says so much about the world today, thank you so much for watching!!
Every decade has a movie that defines that era I think. This was the one for the mid 2010s/2020s. The difference is that usually, those movies are reflecting on that particular time period while this one is aware of its self in real time. This , to me, is one of the best films ever made for so many reasons. What got me is Kutchers ending monologue on how everyone will just make their own stories about the story and how they’ll pick sides for a fucked up/ warped version of the truth and some will pick the other version just for the reason of not choosing the fucked up/ warped version. Ben realized that he was right about that. I also like how it was conveyed that conspiracy theories are conspiracy theories to ppl who aren’t dealing with the actual situation personally. That seeing something for what it is at a more grounded and common sense level isn’t a conspiracy at all. Especially when you gather all the evidence (the music producer is secretly running a drug ring and leaving people to die when they over dose sounds like one hell of a “conspiracy theory”.)
Ben *became* vengeance . Probably the first real, uncalculated "gut" emotion he had ever allowed himself to feel. "Heart sees heart." Heart also sees evil.
Just watched it “Vengeance”. I’ve wanted to see it since I saw the initial previews, and have put off for a while. Well, it’s the night before my wedding, it’s 4:00A, and I couldn’t sleep, so I put it on. WOW! That was better than I even thought. Very enlightening and well-written film.
Good breakdown. Vengeance was honestly the best movie I've seen in years. Was really surprised by it. Just excellent, and nothing was more surprising to me as Ashton Kutcher's performance. I never thought much of him as an actor, but he was really good in this.
This is really well done. Vengeance is also one of those movies that you pick up so much more on re-watches. There is not a single wasted word or facial expression in the entire film.
What a phenomenal review. So well done. Thank you. I loved so many things about this movie. I'm glad you pointed out Sharon's lines at the end. Those entire conversation was incredibly poignant.
Thank you! I’m so glad you liked those points because those were some of the most fascinating aspects of the movie for me, it’s so well written. Thank you so much for watching!!
This turned out being such a great movie. Totally unexpected. I thought it was going to be a fish out of water movie - and it was - but it became so much more, and I remain haunted by so much. How Kutcher's character so lovingly describes how a recording keeps someone alive, contrasting that to what you discover later. The girl being dragged out of the tent. The "After Party." Really, really good.
I think you nailed it. The girl being dragged out of the tent ar the end I saw as an allegory for the conversation him and John Mayer had a the beginning. Disposable people, but online we don't see it the same because of the disconnect
This movie was not what I expected and the ending was completely unexpected especially given my assumption of B. J. Novak's persona due to his comedic background and that his character is meek compared to cowboy culture setting. Loved the dialogue and depth and themes that needed further analysis so thank you for your breakdown and explanations.
Just saw this movie a couple of nights ago and I gotta say I completely agree with your analysis and I absolutely loved this film. The ending Ashton Kutcher and Bj Novak lines gave me goosebumps it was a great film!
A great analysis on a great movie. Just watched it and like you, I found it much better than I had expected. Your analysis is spot on with the ending, they could have left the tent/shooting scene as the last major scene in the movie and it would have been good - but the addition of the mother's monologue was incredible movie making turning it into a great movie. Video liked, channel subscribed. I am looking forward to your next movie analysis.
Yeah I was just telling another commenter I had no idea what I was in for, and yes, I thought the tale end of the film was a nice touch. So glad you subscribed and wanna see more, there's plenty more to come! Thank you so much!!
He also tries to figure out the overall goal to ending corrupt systems and stoping the cycle of addiction, but you could point to many different directions and have many different definitive truths of how to stop it all but the only way to truly stop the corruption and the end of these repeating cycles is to feel each individual person has to have a want to feel for others abeline would have been alive if bj novack (forgot his name in movie lol) would have cared more for abeline and checked up on her this is why the mother gives the regret monologue at the end
Here's what I wrote about this movie before reading your splendid analysis. The ending shocked, surprised and confused me so badly I watched the whole movie again. Here's what makes sense to me. BOTH sides of our Red-Blue divide, like ALL human beings, are going through life with embedded opposite extremes, hence both sides are equally capable of loving or killing each other. Problems begin when LOVE for one is just a "HOOK UP" for another. And when our sins (the pains we can cause) are clearly pointed out to us, it's much easier to shoot the messenger (revenge) and erase all evidence of our regret than to face that condemning truth. Anyone get something else?
Great review. I wished you would've spent a second or two discussing the brother's use of manipulation to get Ben to stay a little longer to take on the murder case. I thought this was a great example of how less intelligent people take advantage of more intelligent people. Street smarts versus Book smarts. Ashton's character had so many quote-worthy parts that I re-watched the movie to add his lines to my journal. You did a great job and I'll be subscribing to your channel and looking at the movies you review.
The beauty of this film with connection to humans, regardless of political affiliation, religion, etc. was very beautiful that I actually cried. This narrative also felt like it was very personal for B.J. Novak. What an incredible movie, and very important for people to watch.
It never occurred to me before that the first scene is a discussion on poor relationships, demonstrating the disconnection of the protagonist and then after the story has concluded, the film ends with a monologue on regret. I gotta watch this again. BJ maintains there wasn’t an overall point to the film but I can’t help but find meaning in that
Thank you!! Yeah it really depends, sometimes the videos get pretty big with 100,000 views, but sometimes they only just reach 1000. There are several factors like the demand and the hype around a film, but it’s always fun for me, whether 100,000 or just 100. Just so glad that you enjoyed! Thank you!!
Last night saw this movie, I loved it, I tried & I could not found a review/analisys in my language (spanish), when I decided to view your video & you started with: “what a pleasent surprise” knew this was the right place haha… because was the first tought when I finished to see it, what a good & underrated movie.
only caveat is i wouldnt necessarily concede that Ben is more intelligent than the family for the simple fact that he is more educated or for his vocation
Dude...i heard about Vengemce from Tim Ferris' 5 Bullet Friday ...looked it up and found You! you are outta sight...keep it up and may all you share multiply and bring you All Good! Peace and Aloha, Latifa
Omg if you're a fan of Drive and The Lighthouse, we'll be very good friends haha they're both so good. And so happy to hear you enjoyed the video, thank you!!
I love your channel so much. You make me discover and anticipate so many films I would never know about if not for your brilliant reviews. You are a super insightful person. Love your calm voice too. 😃🇨🇦
Omg thank you! I’m so glad I can spread the word on new hidden gems, and people like you really appreciate that, it means so much to me! And that fact that you enjoy my voice is really wonderful to hear too haha so thank you so much for everything!
There were so many threads to pull on in the film - I really enjoyed it. BJ did such a good job building complexity into the story where IMO the simple act of vengeance was clearly the only option - it resolves his own regret over his relationship with Abby. There are other reasons - that add even more complexity to his actions. Really well written and the acting was great. Good movie
tsp into his humanity- this. it's the feeling of anger. vengeance almost. you need to be by truly empathetic to understand why it happ4ns. 100 great review.
Really nice review. There's this other thing at the end that I don't think people noticed. Early in the movie someone says something about America dying but not in the way a Lana Del Rey song might insinuate. And the movie ends with a Lana Del Rey tune. Is it saying that America is dying? That Lana is correct? Of course, there's also the issue that Ben used Abilene for his own self gratification. Of course, Quentin did the same. They're really not that different at all. Neither of them really cared about her at all.
I watched this movie by chance on a plane, i always liked bj novak since the office and decided to give it a go, can safely say this is one of my favourite movies now, it made me laugh and cry and it keeps you wanting to know more till the end
Also, this is a good commentary on how both tribes (left and right) always think they are right but generally they both are just not the way they think they are.
This is what I would add to your superb analysis: Every single one of the protagonist, is deeply flawed. This is core. They all lie to get to what they want. It gets into the archetypal / religious mythological when we meet "the producer " who refers to beginnning of the unverse as a sound that we all now carry within Not an act og God .....He calls onto the narcissitic instinc of his pray. He even let them kill themselves....To me, he is the classic Mephisto: The extremely wise without a conscience...
I was so surprised by how amazing this movie is! So gad I watched it, lots of food for thought and honestly, we should all watch it to talk about the greater themes and hopefully self reflect and see what we're doing to ourselves
A perfect take on this film. I loved it. However, if you think about it, if they had just gone to the party to begin with (or just gone over the guest list as it's always the same) the mystery would have been easy to solve. The brother, even though not portrayed as a "genius," it was pretty obvious where she got the drugs from. Anyway, it was a great movie overall.
Great analysis you are right on target. I thought it was a really good film and was surprised because I was expecting the usual disconnected superficial junk.
Enjoyed your review and analysis of the film. I thought it was a little uneven and killing of Q a little implausible. But I think the film as A LOT to say and is a must see….100 percent. 😉
damn u really got it.i saw other reviews that didn't get it on the human level.. saying the title vengeance is about Texans taking the law into their own hands.. no that's not it.. it's what u said. u got it.
Thanks for the video and analysis. The same scenes stuck out to me as well. My take was a bit different, but I think it still agrees with where you arrived at. I think it was French philosopher, Foucault that came up with the idea of a heterotopia. Interpretations vary, but the idea is that the viewer sees/experiences something that appears to be normal, but that is... off... upon further inspection. When I first thought about this, I thought TX was the heterotopia, because it's presented as simple and wholesome, but has the dark underbelly of narcotics. But all of that is "real," warts and all. NYC, on the other hand, is the "fake" that Ben comments on. Foucault's heterotopia also has parts about reflections: when you stare into the mirror, you are seeing yourself. I think Quentin is that reflection. He's from the East, is well educated, and is exploiting the people there. Quentin has embraced his life there, while Ben still holds on to his NYC appearance. It's not until the end, when Ben is wearing Ty's local clothes that Ben and Quentin have their confrontation. Part of me wonders if Quentin is Ben if he were to stay in TX, or if Quentin is Ben if he continues with his story. The ending monologue by Sharon was amazing. I'm still thinking through it. Thank you again for the video! I've been looking for something like this for a while.
Was watching this movie and towards the end when Ben was walking home, damn movie started playing on a loop. XD kept restarting at Ben walking to the parking lot, to the home, then back to the parking lot. XD
Your breakdowns are the best! I kinda hated everything, everywhere, all at once but your video gave me a new appreciation for it. Lucas Blue>>>>>>>The Take>>>>Wisecrack
Wow thank you! It really means a lot to me when I can help someone find enjoyment in something. And hahaha those channels are juggernauts in the movie-RUclips space. Maybe one day I’ll be in that conversation. I’m glad you think so haha thank you!!
@@lucasblue20 there better b, i will take some time to watch more, but.... movies movies movies, and sometime - i need a breakdown - cuz i can b dumb and NOT get it - yet need some intelligentsia to interpret 4 me
Hey! I'm late to the party! I don't know how this one slipped by me. Fantastic analysis. I haven't seen this one yet but it looks incredible and it's the type of movie that I typically like to see. Sounds like these characters have depth and are complex as well as complicated, which makes them more believable. Great analysis and recommendation. Are there any movies you've seen that you didn't find inspiring or good? Have a great weekend!
Hey, no worries at all! Yes it’s just as you described it, very interesting and complex ideas under a very simple and funny premise. And to answer your question, I would say this movie is inspiring and good! Also, I just saw Emily The Criminal which came out on Friday and had some great social commentary, it was super thrilling, I really enjoyed it! Hope you’re enjoying your weekend! Thank you for watching!!
wait so how did Ben figure out it might’ve been Quentin? like i keep rewatching the scene where he unlocks her phone and reads the messages and i feel like im missing something 😖 was she actually talking to Ben or not? or was that Quentin? the “100 percent” threw me off
I really liked your analysis. Boy was this movie not what I was expecting. I just watched I’m Thinking of Ending Things and thought this would be a fun little palate cleanser. Now I’ve seen two movies that didn’t work for me because of their ambition. Both deeply philosophical films with big ideas, you can see how the story telling of Kaufman is a far more effective approach. I like what Novak is going for and yet I think I have more problems with it than I can count. The Shaw family is a typical west Texas family from the early 2000s. It’s like he further embodies this concept of communication at different times by having his soul saved by a family that no longer exists. This was nostalgia presented as “Texas.” This movie also needed better actors. Ashton Kutcher was really good, but the final scene did not have the weight it needed to be effective. For a movie that keeps beating us over the head with the idea that truth can be felt, we don’t feel the truth of that moment. The entire UT vs Tech gag was taken way too far. It should’ve been a single joke. Yeah I think the premise has something, but it needs to be reworked from the ground up. It’s too verbose. Too much telling and not enough showing. Don’t have the brother wax philosophical about his love for Whataburger. Show it. At some point, you realize this is more autobiographical than it should be. At times you feel condescended to as the viewer. We should feel the truth of this movie. That’s what it needed. That’s what it failed to achieve. Spoiler alert: Yeah the ending is so problematic to me. His big Pinocchio moment is achieved through murder. A murder that doesn’t feel inevitable. Yes we know that this man is gaming the system. He’s outsmarted the two man police force and he’s a menace and he ain’t be stopped by legal means. If Novak’s character has no other choice but to kill, his life should be surrendered as well. Whatever kind of life awaits a killer, it’s not one worth living. It undermines his transformation into a real person. Yeah I guess none of it worked for me. But at least we know Novak is a smart guy with a lot of deep thoughts. Maybe that was the whole point.
@@lucasblue20 it's not even like that, I've sent this vid commentary to peeps that I wanna drill down into, about the deep meaning of this flic, ur much more eloquent than I could ever put it, and I'm smart, but ur smarter wordsmith
Quentin killed her by giving her strong doses of Oxy and not allowing her to call 911 when she OD’d. He then dumped her in an open field in the middle of four, overlapping law jurisdictions so her death would not be investigated. I (and I’m sure many others) would consider that murder. However, Quentin points out that there may be legal ambiguity in her death by saying that people will point out that (legally) there is likely a difference between leaving someone to die and killing someone. And this is how Quentin believes he’d get away with it ultimately. Upon realizing that there’s truth in what Quentin is saying, Ben chooses to avenge Abeline’s death by shooting the person who is mostly responsible. And she’s likely not the first death that Quentin has caused.
@@sammyrepthebluesenthusiast4125 I understand Quentin's operation, however i don't understand what drove Quentin to murder these innocent girls. What was his incentive?
@@ikasavin3381 sorry, I get your question now. I don’t think he set out to kill anyone. I think he was motivated financially by selling Oxy and when someone OD’d on the drugs he supplied, he moved them to a specific spot so any potential deaths couldn’t be traced back to him and endanger his bottom line.
My wife and I both thought the first shot in the penultimate scene--the one that you see putting a bullet hole in the tent--came from outside the tent, and before Ben drew his weapon. Did we both see that wrong? Seems like an important puzzle piece I can't place.
someone said thr burger is like thr new joker scene. I do agree. it's a slap in the face for bj and those that enjoy looking down on others.. you realize bj is thr only real stereotype. the most empty of thrm all.. More so than the stereotyped Texan family. this really is a movie in a long time thr characters are so well written. there is so much sincerity in the performances that I feel thr entire cast is ready to move from division and judging, and start to fo us on healing and telling human stories from now on. I thought it was pretty brave .. and to show u need a balance. and that ending, I feel ben might move to Texas.. on the subway he seems so empty and ready to connect and heel.
I guess I am not yet consumed enough by disconnect culture to understand. I watched many times and had no idea what the point of this movie was meant to be. It seems too abstract for me to understand. I am educated and pretty aware. I don't get it. It reminds me of My Dinner With Andre.
That was flat out a piss your pants laughing Trailer, without even going out of its way to make you laugh. Before I even see this (which will be tonight) isn't this what being conservative and liberal was supposed to be like? They think we're backwards Hicks we think they're pretentious A-Holes. But somehow we come together because of what we do agree on not what we don't.
I really liked this movie, but I couldn’t help but not like BJ Novak in the lead role. I have described this one to my friends as “BJ Novak brilliantly wrote, decently directed, and poorly starred in this movie.”
Excellent review! Saw this last night and felt a lot of political nuances going on. I kept thinking the mother had a striking resemblance to Hillary Clinton? Some deeper propaganda going on in this movie?
I’m sorry but it’s a bit frustrating that this analysis, while quite thoughtful, fails to miss one of the big points of the movie. Ben is not more intelligent than the people of West Texas. Ben is more learned and exposed to more culture and diversity. But being more educated is not being more intelligent. Repeatedly throughout the film the filmmakers subvert the expectation that the West Texans are not as intelligent as Ben. They make this point over and over, and it highlights how pedantic, arrogant, and elitist Ben is. How ironic that the analysis provided (and some of the comments here) still misses that point.
Hope this is helpful and offers some new insights! What were your thoughts and ideas about Vengeance? I’d love to discuss, let me know below!
Just saw the movie today and agree with your analysis. My husband has never used any social media, is not computer literate, and just has a flip phone. When we left the theater I spent some time trying to explain the film to him, but he has such a lack of experience that he couldn’t get into the movie (and he’s probably better off for it). We did agree that, regardless of his understanding of the plot, Ashton Kutcher was great.
Yeah Ashton Kutcher was my favorite performance as well, he was excellent! And your husband sounds like my mother haha she also wouldn’t click with this movie so I totally understand where you’re coming from. But I’m really glad you enjoyed it and could appreciate it, it says so much about the world today, thank you so much for watching!!
Every decade has a movie that defines that era I think. This was the one for the mid 2010s/2020s. The difference is that usually, those movies are reflecting on that particular time period while this one is aware of its self in real time. This , to me, is one of the best films ever made for so many reasons. What got me is Kutchers ending monologue on how everyone will just make their own stories about the story and how they’ll pick sides for a fucked up/ warped version of the truth and some will pick the other version just for the reason of not choosing the fucked up/ warped version. Ben realized that he was right about that. I also like how it was conveyed that conspiracy theories are conspiracy theories to ppl who aren’t dealing with the actual situation personally. That seeing something for what it is at a more grounded and common sense level isn’t a conspiracy at all. Especially when you gather all the evidence (the music producer is secretly running a drug ring and leaving people to die when they over dose sounds like one hell of a “conspiracy theory”.)
Ben *became* vengeance . Probably the first real, uncalculated "gut" emotion he had ever allowed himself to feel.
"Heart sees heart." Heart also sees evil.
Just watched it “Vengeance”. I’ve wanted to see it since I saw the initial previews, and have put off for a while. Well, it’s the night before my wedding, it’s 4:00A, and I couldn’t sleep, so I put it on. WOW! That was better than I even thought. Very enlightening and well-written film.
Good breakdown. Vengeance was honestly the best movie I've seen in years. Was really surprised by it. Just excellent, and nothing was more surprising to me as Ashton Kutcher's performance. I never thought much of him as an actor, but he was really good in this.
This is really well done. Vengeance is also one of those movies that you pick up so much more on re-watches. There is not a single wasted word or facial expression in the entire film.
What a phenomenal review. So well done. Thank you. I loved so many things about this movie. I'm glad you pointed out Sharon's lines at the end. Those entire conversation was incredibly poignant.
Excellent analysis. I especially appreciate the take on regret and disconnection. Keep up the great work.
Thank you! I’m so glad you liked those points because those were some of the most fascinating aspects of the movie for me, it’s so well written. Thank you so much for watching!!
When the facts keep changing, people start to trust only their gut instinct..... Quintin. The sign of Our times.
This explanation and analysis is fantastic! I love how you breakdown what the characters stand for and how that ties in with the ending. Thank you!
Thank you so much my friend! This movie really exceeding my expectations, so it was really fun to put this one together. Thank you for watching!!
This turned out being such a great movie. Totally unexpected. I thought it was going to be a fish out of water movie - and it was - but it became so much more, and I remain haunted by so much. How Kutcher's character so lovingly describes how a recording keeps someone alive, contrasting that to what you discover later. The girl being dragged out of the tent. The "After Party." Really, really good.
I think you nailed it. The girl being dragged out of the tent ar the end I saw as an allegory for the conversation him and John Mayer had a the beginning. Disposable people, but online we don't see it the same because of the disconnect
I love that Ben hooks up with "Random House Party" girl, and quickly learns that it wasn't "Random House" publishing ... just a random house.
Loved the movie, nice recap. Love the bridging of the red/blue gap and our shared commonality, if we scratch beneath the surface.
Loved your analysis, new subscriber from Colombia, there weren’t any analysis in Spanish but I’m glad I found yours
saw the movie yesterday and loved it. stumbled upon this and very much agree with a lot of your points. you earned the sub 💯
This movie was not what I expected and the ending was completely unexpected especially given my assumption of B. J. Novak's persona due to his comedic background and that his character is meek compared to cowboy culture setting. Loved the dialogue and depth and themes that needed further analysis so thank you for your breakdown and explanations.
Yeah it was such a pleasant surprise, I had no idea what I was in for. I'm so glad you enjoyed, thank you so much!!
amazing analysis! you layed everything out perfectly
Just saw this movie a couple of nights ago and I gotta say I completely agree with your analysis and I absolutely loved this film. The ending Ashton Kutcher and Bj Novak lines gave me goosebumps it was a great film!
A great analysis on a great movie. Just watched it and like you, I found it much better than I had expected. Your analysis is spot on with the ending, they could have left the tent/shooting scene as the last major scene in the movie and it would have been good - but the addition of the mother's monologue was incredible movie making turning it into a great movie. Video liked, channel subscribed. I am looking forward to your next movie analysis.
Yeah I was just telling another commenter I had no idea what I was in for, and yes, I thought the tale end of the film was a nice touch. So glad you subscribed and wanna see more, there's plenty more to come! Thank you so much!!
He also tries to figure out the overall goal to ending corrupt systems and stoping the cycle of addiction, but you could point to many different directions and have many different definitive truths of how to stop it all but the only way to truly stop the corruption and the end of these repeating cycles is to feel each individual person has to have a want to feel for others abeline would have been alive if bj novack (forgot his name in movie lol) would have cared more for abeline and checked up on her this is why the mother gives the regret monologue at the end
but getting rid of xxx was a good start lol.
this is the best analysis I've seen so far. 100 agree. u completely got the message and what I think bj is trying to say - it's time to heal.
Here's what I wrote about this movie before reading your splendid analysis.
The ending shocked, surprised and confused me so badly I watched the whole movie again. Here's what makes sense to me. BOTH sides of our Red-Blue divide, like ALL human beings, are going through life with embedded opposite extremes, hence both sides are equally capable of loving or killing each other. Problems begin when LOVE for one is just a "HOOK UP" for another. And when our sins (the pains we can cause) are clearly pointed out to us, it's much easier to shoot the messenger (revenge) and erase all evidence of our regret than to face that condemning truth. Anyone get something else?
Great review. I wished you would've spent a second or two discussing the brother's use of manipulation to get Ben to stay a little longer to take on the murder case. I thought this was a great example of how less intelligent people take advantage of more intelligent people. Street smarts versus Book smarts.
Ashton's character had so many quote-worthy parts that I re-watched the movie to add his lines to my journal.
You did a great job and I'll be subscribing to your channel and looking at the movies you review.
They wrote Ashton’s character with so much wisdom and charisma that I didn’t want him to be the killer when I realized he was going to be
The beauty of this film with connection to humans, regardless of political affiliation, religion, etc. was very beautiful that I actually cried. This narrative also felt like it was very personal for B.J. Novak. What an incredible movie, and very important for people to watch.
Thanks! I loved the movie but I didn't understand the ending. You explained it perfectly, and now I see that it was the perfect ending.
Good movie. Good review. Not for everyone, but for those for whom it is, moving.
Excellent take. Thank you.
terrific breakdown. I subbed.
It never occurred to me before that the first scene is a discussion on poor relationships, demonstrating the disconnection of the protagonist and then after the story has concluded, the film ends with a monologue on regret. I gotta watch this again. BJ maintains there wasn’t an overall point to the film but I can’t help but find meaning in that
Excellent Analysis. Throughly enjoyed it. Now I want to see the movie. Thanks
Love your videos bro!! Wonder why you get low veiws👍
Thank you!! Yeah it really depends, sometimes the videos get pretty big with 100,000 views, but sometimes they only just reach 1000. There are several factors like the demand and the hype around a film, but it’s always fun for me, whether 100,000 or just 100. Just so glad that you enjoyed! Thank you!!
Last night saw this movie, I loved it, I tried & I could not found a review/analisys in my language (spanish), when I decided to view your video & you started with: “what a pleasent surprise” knew this was the right place haha… because was the first tought when I finished to see it, what a good & underrated movie.
Great analysis. This was the best screenplay ive seen in a loooong time
only caveat is i wouldnt necessarily concede that Ben is more intelligent than the family for the simple fact that he is more educated or for his vocation
Excellent review
Dude...i heard about Vengemce from Tim Ferris' 5 Bullet Friday ...looked it up and found You! you are outta sight...keep it up and may all you share multiply and bring you All Good! Peace and Aloha, Latifa
Thank you so much! Im so glad you like the content, all the best to you too!
Incredible analysis! You earned a subscriber! Wondering your thoughts on the new Addams family series, Wednesday
Nice analysis!
Also I really like the posters you have on your wall in the background of the video 👍
Omg if you're a fan of Drive and The Lighthouse, we'll be very good friends haha they're both so good. And so happy to hear you enjoyed the video, thank you!!
@@lucasblue20 Yeah both those movies are great in their own crazy debatable ways! I’m always up for a movie/film debate. 👍
I love your channel so much. You make me discover and anticipate so many films I would never know about if not for your brilliant reviews. You are a super insightful person. Love your calm voice too. 😃🇨🇦
Omg thank you! I’m so glad I can spread the word on new hidden gems, and people like you really appreciate that, it means so much to me! And that fact that you enjoy my voice is really wonderful to hear too haha so thank you so much for everything!
I just watched the movie recently, and this was a great breakdown! :)
Thank you so much!!
Great breakdown! And I absolutely loved this movie too! Such a refreshing modern movie in the age of cgi and regurgitated stories and plots.
Excellent work. Your analysis is spot on.
Thank you so much my friend!
There were so many threads to pull on in the film - I really enjoyed it.
BJ did such a good job building complexity into the story where IMO the simple act of vengeance was clearly the only option - it resolves his own regret over his relationship with Abby. There are other reasons - that add even more complexity to his actions.
Really well written and the acting was great.
Good movie
tsp into his humanity- this. it's the feeling of anger. vengeance almost. you need to be by truly empathetic to understand why it happ4ns.
100 great review.
Really nice review. There's this other thing at the end that I don't think people noticed.
Early in the movie someone says something about America dying but not in the way a Lana Del Rey song might insinuate.
And the movie ends with a Lana Del Rey tune.
Is it saying that America is dying? That Lana is correct?
Of course, there's also the issue that Ben used Abilene for his own self gratification. Of course, Quentin did the same. They're really not that different at all. Neither of them really cared about her at all.
thanks for the analysis! just saw this movie now and really enjoyed it
My pleasure! I’m so glad you enjoyed the movie like I did, it’s such a hidden gem for the year. Thank you for watching!
I watched this movie by chance on a plane, i always liked bj novak since the office and decided to give it a go, can safely say this is one of my favourite movies now, it made me laugh and cry and it keeps you wanting to know more till the end
Also, this is a good commentary on how both tribes (left and right) always think they are right but generally they both are just not the way they think they are.
I was also surprised, especially by the ending. Such a good movie.
This is what I would add to your superb analysis:
Every single one of the protagonist, is deeply flawed. This is core. They all lie to get to what they want. It gets into the archetypal / religious mythological when we meet "the producer " who refers to beginnning of the unverse as a sound that we all now carry within Not an act og God .....He calls onto the narcissitic instinc of his pray. He even let them kill themselves....To me, he is the classic Mephisto: The extremely wise without a conscience...
I was so surprised by how amazing this movie is! So gad I watched it, lots of food for thought and honestly, we should all watch it to talk about the greater themes and hopefully self reflect and see what we're doing to ourselves
A perfect take on this film. I loved it. However, if you think about it, if they had just gone to the party to begin with (or just gone over the guest list as it's always the same) the mystery would have been easy to solve. The brother, even though not portrayed as a "genius," it was pretty obvious where she got the drugs from. Anyway, it was a great movie overall.
Ahhhh three minutes into it and brilliant.
I think this video should be made compulsory to be watched after the movie..... Great job 💕
excellent.....you make me want to see this movie
Just saw the movie, great analysis!
Great review! Great movie!
Thank you!! So glad you enjoyed both!
Great analysis you are right on target. I thought it was a really good film and was surprised because I was expecting the usual disconnected superficial junk.
Enjoyed your review and analysis of the film. I thought it was a little uneven and killing of Q a little implausible. But I think the film as A LOT to say and is a must see….100 percent. 😉
damn u really got it.i saw other reviews that didn't get it on the human level.. saying the title vengeance is about Texans taking the law into their own hands.. no that's not it.. it's what u said.
u got it.
Nice video
sharon's monologue was great.
Good job
Thanks for the video and analysis. The same scenes stuck out to me as well. My take was a bit different, but I think it still agrees with where you arrived at. I think it was French philosopher, Foucault that came up with the idea of a heterotopia. Interpretations vary, but the idea is that the viewer sees/experiences something that appears to be normal, but that is... off... upon further inspection. When I first thought about this, I thought TX was the heterotopia, because it's presented as simple and wholesome, but has the dark underbelly of narcotics. But all of that is "real," warts and all. NYC, on the other hand, is the "fake" that Ben comments on.
Foucault's heterotopia also has parts about reflections: when you stare into the mirror, you are seeing yourself. I think Quentin is that reflection. He's from the East, is well educated, and is exploiting the people there. Quentin has embraced his life there, while Ben still holds on to his NYC appearance. It's not until the end, when Ben is wearing Ty's local clothes that Ben and Quentin have their confrontation. Part of me wonders if Quentin is Ben if he were to stay in TX, or if Quentin is Ben if he continues with his story.
The ending monologue by Sharon was amazing. I'm still thinking through it.
Thank you again for the video! I've been looking for something like this for a while.
Was watching this movie and towards the end when Ben was walking home, damn movie started playing on a loop. XD kept restarting at Ben walking to the parking lot, to the home, then back to the parking lot. XD
you should do a place beyond the pines and blue valentine
i feel like i am the only person who loved this movie, thanks for the great review and commentary
Haha you’re not alone because I absolutely loved it, it was fantastic! So glad you enjoyed the video as well, thank you!!
You definitely are not the only one.
Your breakdowns are the best! I kinda hated everything, everywhere, all at once but your video gave me a new appreciation for it.
Lucas Blue>>>>>>>The Take>>>>Wisecrack
Wow thank you! It really means a lot to me when I can help someone find enjoyment in something.
And hahaha those channels are juggernauts in the movie-RUclips space. Maybe one day I’ll be in that conversation. I’m glad you think so haha thank you!!
Great movie!
ON FUCKING FIRE - like where did u come from!?! ON point
Thank you so much!! I started the channel in 2020, it's a lot of fun, plenty more videos to come!
@@lucasblue20 there better b, i will take some time to watch more, but.... movies movies movies, and sometime - i need a breakdown - cuz i can b dumb and NOT get it - yet need some intelligentsia
to interpret 4 me
Hey! I'm late to the party! I don't know how this one slipped by me. Fantastic analysis. I haven't seen this one yet but it looks incredible and it's the type of movie that I typically like to see. Sounds like these characters have depth and are complex as well as complicated, which makes them more believable. Great analysis and recommendation. Are there any movies you've seen that you didn't find inspiring or good? Have a great weekend!
Hey, no worries at all! Yes it’s just as you described it, very interesting and complex ideas under a very simple and funny premise. And to answer your question, I would say this movie is inspiring and good! Also, I just saw Emily The Criminal which came out on Friday and had some great social commentary, it was super thrilling, I really enjoyed it! Hope you’re enjoying your weekend! Thank you for watching!!
wait so how did Ben figure out it might’ve been Quentin? like i keep rewatching the scene where he unlocks her phone and reads the messages and i feel like im missing something 😖 was she actually talking to Ben or not? or was that Quentin? the “100 percent” threw me off
quentin was in her phone as 'ben'' so her family wouldnt know about them
@@steviem8117 Yep.
I really liked your analysis. Boy was this movie not what I was expecting. I just watched I’m Thinking of Ending Things and thought this would be a fun little palate cleanser. Now I’ve seen two movies that didn’t work for me because of their ambition. Both deeply philosophical films with big ideas, you can see how the story telling of Kaufman is a far more effective approach. I like what Novak is going for and yet I think I have more problems with it than I can count. The Shaw family is a typical west Texas family from the early 2000s. It’s like he further embodies this concept of communication at different times by having his soul saved by a family that no longer exists. This was nostalgia presented as “Texas.” This movie also needed better actors. Ashton Kutcher was really good, but the final scene did not have the weight it needed to be effective. For a movie that keeps beating us over the head with the idea that truth can be felt, we don’t feel the truth of that moment. The entire UT vs Tech gag was taken way too far. It should’ve been a single joke. Yeah I think the premise has something, but it needs to be reworked from the ground up. It’s too verbose. Too much telling and not enough showing. Don’t have the brother wax philosophical about his love for Whataburger. Show it. At some point, you realize this is more autobiographical than it should be. At times you feel condescended to as the viewer. We should feel the truth of this movie. That’s what it needed. That’s what it failed to achieve.
Spoiler alert: Yeah the ending is so problematic to me. His big Pinocchio moment is achieved through murder. A murder that doesn’t feel inevitable. Yes we know that this man is gaming the system. He’s outsmarted the two man police force and he’s a menace and he ain’t be stopped by legal means. If Novak’s character has no other choice but to kill, his life should be surrendered as well. Whatever kind of life awaits a killer, it’s not one worth living. It undermines his transformation into a real person. Yeah I guess none of it worked for me. But at least we know Novak is a smart guy with a lot of deep thoughts. Maybe that was the whole point.
My God this may be my favorite movie ever.
I can't go quite that far, but I loved the movie. It is one of the handful of best movies I've seen in the last decade.
What an ending.
It really is a good movie -- and I agree with you that it's shocking to see a good movie now.
FUCKING NAILED IT - 10 OUTTA 10
Thank you again!!
@@lucasblue20 it's not even like that, I've sent this vid commentary to peeps that I wanna drill down into, about the deep meaning of this flic, ur much more eloquent than I could ever put it, and I'm smart, but ur smarter wordsmith
Excellent video, I still have one question though......
What was Quentins motive for killing Abilene?
Why did he do it?
I need an answer.
Quentin killed her by giving her strong doses of Oxy and not allowing her to call 911 when she OD’d. He then dumped her in an open field in the middle of four, overlapping law jurisdictions so her death would not be investigated.
I (and I’m sure many others) would consider that murder. However, Quentin points out that there may be legal ambiguity in her death by saying that people will point out that (legally) there is likely a difference between leaving someone to die and killing someone. And this is how Quentin believes he’d get away with it ultimately.
Upon realizing that there’s truth in what Quentin is saying, Ben chooses to avenge Abeline’s death by shooting the person who is mostly responsible. And she’s likely not the first death that Quentin has caused.
@@sammyrepthebluesenthusiast4125 I understand Quentin's operation, however i don't understand what drove Quentin to murder these innocent girls.
What was his incentive?
@@ikasavin3381 sorry, I get your question now.
I don’t think he set out to kill anyone. I think he was motivated financially by selling Oxy and when someone OD’d on the drugs he supplied, he moved them to a specific spot so any potential deaths couldn’t be traced back to him and endanger his bottom line.
@@sammyrepthebluesenthusiast4125 Ah ok, so it was just financially. Makes sense, you know money drives the world and all that.
Thanks for your reply.
@@ikasavin3381 sure thing. Yea money & avoiding prison.
Is it just me or does Ashton take up speech mannerisms of Billy Bob Thornton?
My wife and I both thought the first shot in the penultimate scene--the one that you see putting a bullet hole in the tent--came from outside the tent, and before Ben drew his weapon. Did we both see that wrong? Seems like an important puzzle piece I can't place.
My wife and I thought the same thing. Thought maybe we were the only ones who did!
I saw that too and got confused.....maybe they made a mistake while shooting this scene?
I'm pretty sure it was to show that Ben had never used a gun before and missed his first ever shot
@@kevintierney5711 correct
Awesome review.
Emotional Intelligence tops all for me
💯
someone said thr burger is like thr new joker scene. I do agree. it's a slap in the face for bj and those that enjoy looking down on others.. you realize bj is thr only real stereotype. the most empty of thrm all.. More so than the stereotyped Texan family.
this really is a movie in a long time thr characters are so well written. there is so much sincerity in the performances that I feel thr entire cast is ready to move from division and judging, and start to fo us on healing and telling human stories from now on.
I thought it was pretty brave .. and to show u need a balance.
and that ending, I feel ben might move to Texas.. on the subway he seems so empty and ready to connect and heel.
$ubbed!
I guess I am not yet consumed enough by disconnect culture to understand. I watched many times and had no idea what the point of this movie was meant to be. It seems too abstract for me to understand. I am educated and pretty aware. I don't get it. It reminds me of My Dinner With Andre.
Wait ... so the movie was "too abstract" for you to understand, but you watched it "many times?" I admire your effort.
100%
That was flat out a piss your pants laughing Trailer, without even going out of its way to make you laugh. Before I even see this (which will be tonight) isn't this what being conservative and liberal was supposed to be like? They think we're backwards Hicks we think they're pretentious A-Holes.
But somehow we come together because of what we do agree on not what we don't.
I really liked this movie, but I couldn’t help but not like BJ Novak in the lead role. I have described this one to my friends as “BJ Novak brilliantly wrote, decently directed, and poorly starred in this movie.”
I liked him in the role, and I thought his performance was good.
Excellent review! Saw this last night and felt a lot of political nuances going on. I kept thinking the mother had a striking resemblance to Hillary Clinton? Some deeper propaganda going on in this movie?
I’m sorry but it’s a bit frustrating that this analysis, while quite thoughtful, fails to miss one of the big points of the movie. Ben is not more intelligent than the people of West Texas. Ben is more learned and exposed to more culture and diversity. But being more educated is not being more intelligent. Repeatedly throughout the film the filmmakers subvert the expectation that the West Texans are not as intelligent as Ben. They make this point over and over, and it highlights how pedantic, arrogant, and elitist Ben is. How ironic that the analysis provided (and some of the comments here) still misses that point.
Great analysis!
Thank you so much!!
100%
Great review