‘Arkansas’ Film Review: Clark Duke’s Black Comedy Could Really Use a Big, Weird Audience
Clark Duke’s Dixie noir with Liam Hemsworth and Vince Vaughn was scheduled to premiere at SXSW, but now it must bring its deadpan absurdities to an isolation-friendly release
Some films can survive the coronavirus better than others. Some — the quieter ones, the documentaries, the character studies — don’t need a big screen or a raucous film-festival audience or a packed house to make their pleasures known. Some can do quite well in front of a living-room audience of one or two.
“Arkansas” is not one of those films.
Of all the films that have been forced to go straight to streaming and VOD because of theater closings and film-festival cancellations due to COVID-19, Clark Duke’s offbeat black comedy might be the one that most misses its original release format. The film was to have premiered in the Austin Convention Center at the South by Southwest Film Festival — and if ever a film was made for a big, rowdy festival crowd with an appreciation for off-the-wall humor, it is this one.
Now, you can’t hold that against “Arkansas,” which was meant to be seen one way and is now forced to be seen in a different way. And it’s possible to appreciate the Lionsgate film’s quirks on your couch alone or with the family, particularly if you’ve got a taste for this kind of thing and a weird family.
But “Arkansas” would have killed at SXSW, and it struggles to do that with an isolation-friendly release. Its characters, though, would have understood: Stuff happens, it’s not pretty, you deal with it.
Those characters are aptly summed up in a voiceover at the beginning of the film from Kyle Ribb, a low-level drug dealer for a mysterious kingpin named Frog. Admitting that when you think of organized crime, you think of professional outfits like the Mafia, he says that organized crime in the South is “a loose affiliation of deadbeats and scumbags,” which is a pretty apt description of the folks we spend the next two hours with.
Liam Hemsworth plays Kyle as a guy with equal parts malaise and anger; sent on an errand for Frog, he’s teamed up with Swin Horn (Duke, who is acting as well as making his directorial debut), a whiny dweeb who’s nonetheless convinced of his own brilliance. When a girl he’s trying to pick up in a supermarket says, “You’re just creepy,” Swin’s response is a quick, “Do you like creepy?” And what’s more, the line works.
Kyle and Swin are the classic odd couple, reluctant partners who find themselves in deeper and deeper trouble as they meet the goofy but dangerous ne’er-do-wells who inhabit Frog’s orbit: John Malkovich as Bright, a ranger who’s not nearly as befuddled as he looks; Vivica A. Fox as Her, whose name of choice prevents her from being identified on wiretaps; Brad William Henke and Jeff Chase as the lunkheaded henchmen Tim and Thomas.
To say it all gets messy is to state the obvious — and besides, the details are kind of beside the point. As Frog says of Kyle and Swin at one point, “Whether they have a plan or they’re just lost in a maze of their own f— ups don’t matter.”
Based on the novel by John Brandon and co-written by Duke and Andrew Boonkrong, “Arkansas” is a Dixie noir, a time-jumping, blackly comic crime story that exists in the post-“Pulp Fiction,” post-Coen brothers world. And that means the stuff that goes down – the double-crossing, the murders, the gradual unveiling of Frog, who’s played by Vince Vaughn – is less important than the tone, the casual bits of backwoods absurdity, the offhand lines that register only after they’ve gone by.
This is a movie where wannabe gangsters get their start selling bootleg cassettes out of antique booths, where a drug dealer played by Michael Kenneth Williams tutors his protégé in “cost-benefit analysis” and where the bar musicians playing a pained version of a George Jones song are the loopy indie band the Flaming Lips, who also pop up on the soundtrack overhauling songs by the Band, Hank Williams Jr. and the Bellamy Brothers.
While it’s hard to watch “Arkansas” and not see its debt to the Coen brothers, Duke finds a voice of his own in quiet, deadpan absurdities and southern-fried eccentricities. It’s just too bad the movie can’t be seen in a room full of (other) twisted people who’ll catch all the nonsense and supply the energy to counterbalance the film’s deliberate torpor.
But if the film is flatter without an audience, it’s weird however you watch it. And maybe that’s enough.
“Arkansas” is available on-demand Tuesday, May 5.
All the Hollywood Films Arriving on Demand Early Because of the Coronavirus
Since most U.S. movie theaters have shuttered in response to the coronavirus pandemic, studios are rushing out VOD home releases of movies that were only just in theaters.
Disney/Warner Bros./Universal
"Trolls World Tour"
The sequel to the 2017 animated hit announced it would be available for digital download on April 10 -- the same day it was supposed to land in theaters. Now it's a VOD exclusive.
Universal Pictures
"Birds of Prey"
The Margot Robbie spinoff of 2017's "Suicide Squad" debuted on demand on March 24. The film grossed $84 million since opening on Feb. 4.
Warner Bros.
"The Hunt"
The Universal/Blumhouse horror film was first delayed from release last fall due to controversy over its violent content -- and then sidelined after its March 13 opening by the coronavirus. It's available to stream now.
Universal Pictures
"The Invisible Man"
The Universal horror film starring Elisabeth Moss grossed nearly $65 million since its Feb. 26 release in theaters. It's available to stream now.
Universal Pictures
"Emma."
Focus Features' adaptation of the Jane Austen novel opened in limited release Feb. 21 -- and picked up $10 million in ticket sales until the pandemic shut down theaters. It's available to stream now.
Focus Features
"Bloodshot"
The Vin Diesel comic-book movie opened March 6 and grossed $10 million before theaters shut down. It's available on VOD now.
Sony Pictures
"I Still Believe"
Lionsgate's biopic starring K.J. Apa as Christian music star Jeremy Camp hit VOD on March 27 -- just two weeks after it opened in theaters.
Lionsgate
"The Way Back"
Warner Bros. released the Ben Affleck drama "The Way Back" -- which grossed $13 million in theaters since its March 6 opening -- on VOD less than three weeks later, on March 24.
Warner Bros.
"Onward"
Disney and Pixar’s animated feature was made available for purchase on Friday, March 20, and the film hit Disney+ on April 3.
Disney/Pixar
"Sonic the Hedgehog"
Paramount Pictures' "Sonic the Hedgehog" set a new record for video game adaptations with a $58 million domestic opening weekend on Feb. 14 and has grossed $306 million worldwide theatrically. It's available on demand now.
Paramount Pictures
"The Call of the Wild"
20th Century Studios' feel-good film starring Harrison Ford and a giant CGI dog is available on demand now.
20th Century
"Downhill"
Barely escaping an avalanche during a family ski vacation, a married couple (Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Will Ferrell) is thrown into disarray as they are forced to reevaluate their lives and how they feel about each other. It's available on demand now.
Fox Searchlight
"Never Rarely Sometimes Always"
"Never Rarely Sometimes Always" is the story of two teenage cousins from rural Pennsylvania who journey to New York City to seek an abortion. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and walked away with a Special Jury award. It's available for VOD now.
Focus Features
"Endings, Beginnings"
"Endings, Beginnings," a romantic drama from Drake Doremus starring Shailene Woodley, Sebastian Stan and Jamie Dornan, opened early on digital on April 17 and on demand on May 1. It was meant to open theatrically on May 1.
Samuel Goldwyn Films
"To the Stars"
"To the Stars," a period drama set in 1960s Oklahoma that stars Kara Hayward, Liana Liberato, Jordana Spiro, Shea Whigham, Malin Akerman and Tony Hale, was bumped up to a digital release on April 24 and an on demand release on June 1. Martha Stephens directed the film that premiered at Sundance in 2019 and was meant to be released theatrically by Samuel Goldwyn Films.
Samuel Goldwyn Films
"Impractical Jokers: The Movie"
truTV's first-ever feature-length film arrived early on digital on April 1. Follow James "Murr" Murray, Brian "Q" Quinn, Joe Gatto, and Sal Vulvano, aka The Tenderloins, playing themselves in a fictional story of a humiliating high school mishap from the early '90s.
truTV
"Artemis Fowl"
Disney's adaptation of the Eoin Colfer fantasy novel "Artemis Fowl" was meant to debut in theaters on May 29 but premiered exclusively on Disney+. The film is directed by Kenneth Branagh and stars Colin Farrell and Judi Dench.
Disney
"The Infiltrators"
The theatrical release of Oscilloscope's docu-thriller "The Infiltrators" has been postponed, and the film was released on both Cable On Demand and Digital Platforms starting June 2.
Oscilloscope
"Working Man"
The March 27 theatrical release of "Working Man" has been canceled due to the theater closures, and the film premiered on May 5 via Video On Demand.
Brainstorm Media
"Jump Shot: The Kenny Sailors Story"
"Jump Shot: The Kenny Sailors Story," a sports documentary executive produced by NBA star Steph Curry, was made available for streaming on the new service Altavod between April 16-18 for $7.99 and is available for pre-order beginning April 9. 10% of all the proceeds will be donated to COVID-19 relief efforts. The documentary tells the story of the player, Kenny Sailors, who pioneered the jump shot, and it features interviews with Curry, Kevin Durant, Dirk Nowitzki, Clark Kellogg, Bobby Knight and more.
Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images
"Scoob!"
Warner Bros. announced on April 11 that it would release the family animated film “Scoob!” for digital ownership and premium video on-demand on May 15, making it the second film (after Universal's "Trolls World Tour") to cancel a planned theatrical release and head straight to home release pandemic.
Warner Bros.
"The King of Staten Island"
"The King of Staten Island," the comedy starring and co-written by "SNL" star Pete Davidson and directed by Judd Apatow, skipped its theatrical release date of June 19 and opened one week early on VOD everywhere on June 12.
Universal Pictures
"The High Note"
"The High Note," the latest film from "Late Night" director Nisha Ganatra that stars Tracee Ellis Ross and Dakota Johnson, made its premiere on VOD on May 29. It was meant to open on May 8 theatrically.
Focus Features
"Waiting for the Barbarians"
Ciro Guerra's film starring Mark Rylance, Johnny Depp and Robert Pattinson was originally slated for a theatrical release but was picked up by Samuel Goldwyn Films to instead be released via cable on demand and on digital in August
Samuel Goldwyn Films
"Irresistible"
Jon Stewart's latest film, a political comedy called "Irresistible," will skip theaters and make its premiere online for on demand digital rental on June 26. The film from Focus Features stars Steve Carell and Rose Byrne and was meant to open in theaters on May 29.
Daniel McFadden / Focus Features
"My Spy"
The Dave Bautista action comedy "My Spy" was originally meant for a theatrical release from STXfilms and was due to hit theaters in March. Amazon then acquired the film from STX and will now release it on streaming on June 26.
Amazon Studios
"The One and Only Ivan"
The animated Disney film based on Thea Sharrock's best-selling children's book "The One and Only Ivan" is the latest feature to skip theaters and move to Disney+. The movie features the voice talent of Angelina Jolie, Danny Devito, Sam Rockwell, Bryan Cranston and Helen Mirren. The film was previously slated for theatrical release on August 14 but will now debut on Disney+ one week later on Aug. 21.
Disney
"The Secret Garden"
The re-imagining of the book "The Secret Garden" was meant to open in UK theaters in April but delayed its theatrical release until August. But STXfilms will now release the StudioCanal and Heyday Films movie on PVOD for $19.99 on August 7 in North America. "The Secret Garden" stars Colin Firth, Julie Walters and Dixie Egerickx.
STXfilms
1 of 29
”Irresistible“ joins a list of big films heading to digital home entertainment platforms early
Since most U.S. movie theaters have shuttered in response to the coronavirus pandemic, studios are rushing out VOD home releases of movies that were only just in theaters.