[Review] Arkansas(2020) {6.5/10}

Directed by Clark Duke in his directorial debut, from a screenplay he wrote with Andrew Boonkrong, the stars Liam Hemsworth (Kyle Ribb), Clark Duke (Swin Horn), Michael Kenneth Williams (Almond), Vivica A. Fox (Her), Eden Brolin (Johnna), Chandler Duke (Nick), John Malkovich (Bright) and Vince Vaughn (Frog). It is based on the novel Arkansas by John Brandon.

The plot follows two low-level criminals Kyle (Liam Hemsworth) and Swin (Clark Duke) who have never met the Arkansas drug kingpin who rules their lives, but a series of mistakes puts them on a deadly collision course straight to him.

Arkansas has an appealing low-key charm, but this character-driven neo-noir is too diffuse and derivative to leave much of an impression. Clark Duke shows some promise as a director and maybe even more so as a screenwriter, but it goes on too long, it is unevenly paced, and it seems to end a few times. It's quirky, lively, and diverting for a little while, but then it really just drags. Somehow it does have a sort of distinctive tang but it doesn't quite add up to a full meal despite being overlong but it has a kind of ambling, affectionate weirdness to it. More commonly known for his comedy work on The Office and Hot Tub Time Machine, Clark Duke makes his feature length directorial debut with a southern-fried noir that's in many ways impressive but ultimately a mixed bag. Duke not only directs but also gives himself a prominent role alongside Liam Hemsworth's straight guy but his facetiousness is at odds with some of the plot's darker elements. This only causes the film to feel unbalanced in terms of its tone but he does do an admirable job in stringing the narrative's five chapters together and keeping tabs on slightly alternate time lines and characters - where Vince Vaughn stands out with a shady part to play. For the most part, I found a lot to enjoy here but, sadly, it becomes rushed and messy in its denouement.

Arkansas is now available on Digital and Blu-ray.