
Year: 2020
Rated R
Rating: * * 1/2 Stars
Cast: Liam Hemsworth, Clark Duke, Vince Vaughn, Eden Brolin
Arkansas as slow burn, droning incarnate, is my latest review. It is based on a novel of the same name by John Brandon. The cast of Arkansas is like a bunch of recognizable actors going unrecognizable. Case in point: Co-star and Illinois native Vince Vaughn wears a St. Louis Cardinals hat while listening to their games on an old radio. Oh and director-slash-star Clark Duke sports an adult film mustache and kinda looks like a chick (oxymoron alert).
Anyway, 2020's Arkansas is not a bad feature debut for the 35-year-old Duke. Filmed at a snail's pace with zoom shots, whip pans, and a time setting that feels mostly 80's and 90's, Arkansas appears like something Quentin Tarantino would have done pre-Reservoir Dogs.

The performances in Arkansas are underplayed yet solid with Vaughn, Duke, and Liam Hemsworth being the standouts. Their dialogue readings are slow, philosophical, and drawn-out. Yup, Arkansas may have a running time under two hours but hey, it kinda feels like three.

Written by Jesse Burleson
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