Only some parts are actually worth visiting.
The year may not yet even be halfway done, but already the contender for the most Coen brothers-lite title has already been cinched thanks to Arkansas. Actor Clark Duke makes his debut behind the camera with this adaptation of a novel of the same name by author John Brandon. With its Southern setting, morally grey characters, dark humor and dangerous backdrop, Arkansas has all the ingredients for the kind of humorous neo-noir journey into the darkness; one that’s rich in quirky characters and twists you don’t always see coming. While Arkansas more or less knows what to do with all of that, I fear it may have just a bit too much for the movie to handle as the film switches gears between characters and plot lines which are genuinely interesting and others which are decidedly not. The result is much like the state of Arkansas itself; entertaining and jumping in some areas and endlessly sleepy in others.
In Arkansas, Kyle (Liam Hemsworth) and Swin (Duke) meet for the first time and head to the Hot Springs area of the titular state in order to deliver a large quantity of drugs for their unknown employer. When the two arrive, they find they must stay put together until further instructions arrive. At the same time, the town’s aging drug kingpin (Vince Vaughn) finds himself heavily reflecting as nears the end of his long career in the drug trade.
Arkansas starts out as one movie which follows name and name as they’re reluctantly paired together to deliver a large amount of drugs for their unknown boss. Duke takes advantage of the great mismatched buddy opportunity the story presents and the movie offers up numerous scenes featuring the reserved, no-nonsense Kyle and the more flashy, confident Swin. There’s some real fun had at watching the two wannabe drug dealers try to keep their heads above water as one unpredictable character after another crosses their path. Arkansas has a ball reveling in the randomness of the world these two are in, especially when it comes to the people they meet. Whether it’s Vivica A. Fox’s middle man (known simply as Her), John Malkovich’s drug dealing sheriff, or the beautiful nurse (Eden Brolin) Swin ends up falling for, each character in his or her own way adds another puzzle piece to the journey of these two men and the unexpected kinship that develops between them. If only both their individual journeys were worth following. However the duo proves so interesting to watch thanks to their very different personalities, that when they’re separated and forced to venture out on their own, a considerable amount about what makes these characters interesting is unfortunately lost.
What’s also unfortunate, is the fact that Arkansas is so devoted to its Coen brothers inspirations, it feels the need to introduce another story involving Vaughn’s secret drug lord who spends his days operating a junk shop and reflecting on the choices he made which got him trapped in the life he’s leading. His character ties to the ones played by both Duke and Hemsworth prove legitimate enough, but the film take way too long to bring them together and is more insistent on dividing time between the two storylines. The problem with this is that there isn’t much in Vaughn’s storyline which warrants exploration to the amount we end up having to sit through. An audience can only find scenes of a regretful drug lord diverting enough for so long, especially when there are other, more colorful, individuals in another storyline that’s more deserving of screen time. There’s also a bit of an odd quality to this side of Arkansas as Duke and his cinematographer insist on shooting these parts of the film with a soft dreamy gause for some odd reason. At first, the move seemed to be used to illustrate flashbacks, but as the time goes on, many of these scenes take on a more serene look to them that’s firmly at odds with the somber pensiveness the script was trying to convey. The whole setup at least deserves some sort of acknowledgement for trying to be both poignant and involving even if this part of the movie fails at being either.
Hemsworth and Duke are a riot together and the two actors generate the kind of believable chemistry that makes their side of the film function as good as it does. Both roles prove stretches of sorts for the two actors; Hemsworth takes on the role of straight man, while Duke excels thanks to his character’s assortment of wisecracks and bravado. They’re surrounded with some great actors having a fun time. Malkovich, Fox and Brolin each give their characters life even during moments when the script temporarily lets them down. No one is let down more than Vaughn however. With little-to-no development to speak of other than melancholic looks and half-baked dialogue, the actor delivers his flattest performance to date with a role that in any other circumstance, should have been worth his time.
Duke’s first film is half a good one; and that’s something to be proud of. In the past the actor could always be counted on for being an entertaining presence both on TV and in film, bringing levity to any project he’s in. Arkansas, for all its faults, shows the actor in a different light by the way he admirably approaches the role of director. There are times within his debut effort where he lingers a little too much, or doesn’t give more time to a character than perhaps he or she deserves. The off-screen killing of a key character is a definite fault to be found, especially since it comes so late in the game. But Duke seems to know enough about what can make a story so compelling and worthy of being brought to the screen that it should make anyone who sees Arkansas more than a little curious about what this novice director does next.