Arkansas

"Oh boredom is a beautiful thing. No because a bored criminal is a good criminal. So if you boys ever catch yourself starting to complain about boredom. Just remember; it's better to have to look for something to do, than have something to do, looking for you" - Bright.

A pretty apt quote for this film. Providing you with something to do during a time of boredom in a second lockdown. Truthfully this film found me (thanks Netflix) and I'm happy to say it was a fun ride!

Arkansas tells us the tale of an unlikely pair of drug dealers, Kyle (Liam Hemsworth) and Swin (Clarke Duke) and follows them on their journey into the underbelly, whilst avoiding the wrath of Kingpin, Frog (Vince Vaughn), after a deal gone wrong.

As is expected from the area of Arkansas, the story takes place in an "Ozark-esque" surrounding, showing a different form of drug dealing, with unusual players, customers and problems along the way. A far cry from what we usually expect to see in films and shows such as Narcos, Blow, Wolf of Wall Street or Scarface, where drugs are the epicenter. Here, in thousands of square miles of dense green forest, our drug dealing pair, conversing with each other with laugh out loud moments similar to that of RDJ and Galifinakis in Due Date, can even make themselves an extra buck.

With standout performances from supporting characters such as Bright (John Malkowich), Frog (Vince Vaughn), Johnna (Eden Brolin) and the Twins (Brad William Henke and Jeff Chase); Arkansas provides us with rich, funny and intelligent dialogues similar to that of Pulp Fiction.

Clarke Duke not only plays Swin, but directs this film too, setting the scene with Chapter Titles to break down the story, mirroring Kill Bill whilst also using shots and music similar to Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Along with a shocking torture seen early on, resulting in unfortunate events for the pair, reminding us of the infamous Egg Plant torture seen in True Romance. If you can't tell already. My guess would be that Duke has taken a lot of inspiration from Quentin Tarantino. And a little from Taxi Driver with a motivational mirror speech in the end of the final act. But you'll have to see for yourself.

A simple tale of a drug deal gone wrong and the misfortune that awaits two friends. A story that we have seen in one way or another man times, isnt perfect, but well worth the watch if it appears in your recommendations.

"I hear he has a pool shaped like a Lily Pad". Unfortunately not. But he does own a ton of terrible rodeo shirts!

6/10. One time viewing at best.

I can't figure why this movie's got a score under 6.... It's a good road-action movie with drama and comedy elements. It has good twists, good acting., good music and some funny moments. All in all it's at least a solid 7. Watch it!

That's it. An intelligently written, well directed and well produced, greatly acted and tastefully photographed movie. Stylish and clear headed. Arkansas deserves at least a 7 on IMDB, like a lot of quite slow and clever little gems stuck around the 6. If you love cinema, do not miss this little jewel. Characters are graciously sketched in their lovely, human weirdness. You do not know a lot about them, but you can sense their past in their words, faces and actions. Liam Hemsworth is a little affected in a couple of scenes, but everyone else is credible even when exaggeratedly over the top, like Malkovich. Watch this movie if you want to watch a good, well-narrated and entertaining story. Cinema really needs this kind of productions, even if the ratings tell us that people need less quality.

Clark duke is on his way. I liked this one for sure.

I did not have high expectations for this and thought it as no more than a 50/50 proposition to even make it through it. But I was pleasantly surprised by how well it held my interest and the casting was well-done, with the exception of Liam Hemsworth, who projected all of the personality of wallpaper, and may as well not be there at all when sharing screen time with the likes of John Malkovich.

The story is rather loose and ramshackle, going back and forth in time. There is definitely a wanna-be Coen Brothers vibe here, but you could do a lot worse for influences. Keep an open mind and your expectations to a minimum and you may just enjoy this one.