3 Short Paragraphs: Veronica Mars

2014, Rob Thomas (Veronica Mars TV) -- download

We finished watching the last two seasons of the acclaimed and cult popular TV series, even though by the end of season one, I was a little let down. Season Two gave us another full season mystery, the crash of a bus load of school kids and danced us all over the map as to whom the villain was. In the end, another bait & switch reveal with a ton of loose threads.  Season Three had Veronica in college investigating two separate crimes, a murder and a rape spree. Both seasons were equally fun as frustrating, solidifying my disappointment in the reputation of the series, if not exactly the show itself. As a show, it was definitely out of its own mould.

The movie, ground breaking on its own by emerging out of a Kickstarter campaign, picks up a decade after the series ended, actually 9 years, but during the same time as their ten year high school reunion. Veronica is in NYC with Piz, applying for a corporate lawyer job. She has left the investigation life behind as well as Neptune. She doesn't get back much; I know the feeling. But on cue, she gets a call from Logan, her tumultuous ex-BF, who is in trouble again. This time he is accused of murdering another girlfriend, this one a rock star with a troubled history, part of which we saw in season one. Veronica drops everything and goes home.

This is a movie for the fans, plain and simple. Sure, it was theatre released and is well enough produced to bw enjoyable to average theatre goers, but there are about a thousand in-jokes and the reunion aspect was probably cheer inducing for only the fans. Piz looks great, Wallace is happy & comfortable and Mac looks absolutely stunning; hell, even Weevil's skin cleared up. Logan is Logan, a little skinnier and in the military and Dick is dickier than ever, but pretty much exactly the same. As usual, the murder is all over the place, entwined in the usual suspects from her past. Neptune, as much as character as the high school kids, had gotten darker and seedier and more noir in Veronica's absence. In the end, Veronica has to make a decision --- return to her life in NYC with Piz or stay in Neptune with her dad and her past, and make a difference. Of course, the fans know exactly what she has to do, bad decision making skills and all.