Arkansas, written and directed by Clark Duke, is a crazy romp across the Razorback state with drug dealings gone wrong and unfortunate, comic losers that would make the Coen brothers blush.
After being suddenly canceled from its global debut at the South by Southwest Film Festival due to concerns about the coronavirus, it was later available for streaming on Apple, Amazon, and other platforms.
That’s unfortunate since, if Peckerwood Noir were a genre, this film would fit the description of a grand, classic criminal thriller that is best seen on a large screen.
Synopsis
Before they are tricked into becoming drug couriers, the two main leads, Kyle played by Liam Hemsworth is silent kind, and powerful, and Swin played by Clark Duke, with a weak mustache is a wisecracking sidekick, both of them have no future.
Neither is aware of their actions. And when they begin working for a fictitious park ranger played by John Malkovich, a lady known only as Her played by Vivica A. Fox, and a purported drug kingpin, Frog played by Vince Vaughn, neither of them is ready for what’s coming their way.
In John Brandon’s book, which served as the base for the script, Frog’s identity is kept a secret. And for most of the film, Kyle and Swin are kept in the dark about it. However, early in the film, spectators see the ascent of Frog through several flashbacks.
In a classic noir where a femme fatale, a lady who understands how to backtalk tough guys, attracts attention to the powerful, quiet type. But in the oddball “Arkansas,” the handsome Hemsworth does not play the lover.
Rather, Swin, the schlubby Duke character, wins the girl after approaching her at a Piggly Wiggly when he’s eating a fried chicken leg. Eden Brolin’s character, Johnna, first rejects his advances, but after five dates they click.
Hemsworth is the main star of the movie
Swin has some of the funniest lines in the movie, but Hemsworth is without a doubt the main attraction. He starts and ends the movie, and he does so in a fascinating way that makes it seem like he’s seen it all.
He admits to the camera that he was a part of the Dixie Mafia, but he quickly brushes that label aside, citing lack of loyalty, ethnic Italian ties, and family code as the key reasons. Rather, he claims that drug dealers in the South are comprised of a loose association of scumbags and deadbeats.
The movie spends a lot of time introducing us to the aforementioned characters. At times, Kyle and Swin seem like minnows amidst the sharks. But when they — and Frog — come across a never-ending succession of jerks, you start to question if anybody is actually in charge.
Almond is one of the most noteworthy scumbags in the movie, portrayed by Michael Kenneth Williams, who played the unforgettable Omar Little on The Wire.
Although Hemsworth is the main character in the movie, writer/director Duke is the true revelation. Kyle’s not a hottie and will remind you of Jack Black, which is a positive sign for the movie.
His directing, writing, and comedic skills are quite impressive, which reflects well in the scenes of the movie.
Duke has a voice of his own
It’s difficult to see “Arkansas” without acknowledging the Coen brothers’ influence, Duke finds his voice in the film’s subdued humor and southern-fried quirks.
Unfortunately, the film can’t be shown in a room full of (other) deranged individuals, who will laugh at all the silliness and provide the necessary energy to offset its purposeful melancholy. It is a balanced movie that will only please a handful of people.
How does the Arkansas end?
Upon observing Kyle’s fractured arm, Frog surmises that he met and murdered Thomas. Having given up on life as a drug dealer, Kyle kills Frog and obtains his contact details. At the end of the movie, Johnna travels into the night by herself.
The ending was not very flashy, and it ended in an expected manner. Vince Vaughn showed his range with his character. The movie is available on Apple TV, Amazon Prime Videos, and other platforms.
