The film is based on Veronica (Kristen Bell), a law student on the brink of securing her first job out of Stanford University, whose plans are interrupted when her ex-boyfriend Logan (Jason Dohring) becomes embroiled in the murder of teen pop star, Bonnie Deville (Andrea Estella). Strangely, it is Veronica who is called back home to help him out. What follows is an investigation that leads the protagonist to an unexpected trail where she is forced to confront a few skeletons from the past.
Although the film has its moments, it does not lose its TV show vibe. It’s almost like watching a 100-minute episode. There is no serious character development and it leaves a lot to be desired in terms of a typical murder mystery. Veronica jumping back into the world of investigation to help her ex makes no sense when her father, being an investigator, could have done the same without her presence.
Despite the weak plot, Kristen Bell is smart and sassy as Veronica. But nothing about her has changed. She still lies like a pro to her own father, escapes sticky situations without any consequences and also manages to save the day. This brings us to Logan’s character. The screenwriters must have thought it was a clever idea to have him join the navy to show that he has cleaned his act. But then how does that tie in with him purportedly murdering a troubled pop star?
The only person who could have saved the act with a wider role was the imitating pop star, Gia Goodmen (Krysten Ritter). Ritter who is best known for her work in the television show Breaking Bad, works like a charm in this one with her fake wigs and terrible attempts to sing. She likes to dress up as Bonnie and sing in public places. She attracts Veronica’s attention who thinks she may have killed Bonnie in order to replace her in some way. But the accusations prove to be false.
In short, the film is worth a watch mainly for fans of the television show. It could have been better had it perhaps shown Veronica investigating in the big city or defending Logan as a lawyer, but it does none of that. When the popular show Sex and the City was made into films, the characters had grown and moved on to other things. Sadly, in Veronica Mars they just end up doing more of the same.
Rating: 2/5
Ayesha Abdul Razzak is an aspiring filmmaker and enthusiastic photographer with a diploma in Mass Communication and a BA from Deakin University in Visual Arts. She tweets @Caffinolic
Published in The Express Tribune, Sunday Magazine, August 3rd, 2014.
COMMENTS (11)
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I apologize for the Krysten Ritter and Gaby Hoffmann mixup it was an honest mistake on my part. As for those who blatantly accuse me of stealing this review why don't you do a little fact checking and see if this review has been copied off anywhere? I have watched BOTH the film and tv show and the latter impressed me more.
I'm sorry to say that you are wrong. Comparing Bad teacher the movie and the TV series with the Veronica Mars Mars series and Movie is not justified. As the first had totally different characters, actors and background stories. The creator is the same only. I enjoyed both actually and was a bit disappointed the show got cancelled. While in Veronica Mars, the Movie followes the same characters, only few years from where we left the show. Therby comparing these two doesn't make sense.
I was glad the movie did not lose the TV show vibe!! It stayed true to it's origins and I loved it.
Logan being in the navy somehow will prevent him from dating a pop star? Or did you mean prevent him from killing her? I didn't get your point.
People have already pointed out the Krystin Ritter mistake,so.
They did not show Veronica investigating in the big city because she quit that life. One of the movie"s goals was that you. Can not escape your past, which is why she is back, doing what she always does, abd being rel good at it!
I think it is copy paste review VM is not a movie but TV (Movie)
How current, a review of a 6 month old movie! and clearly a movie you never watched (kudos on using wikipedia to write your articles for you). I can only imagine the 'review' was to gain webpage hits.
Wow, you should probably pay attention to a movie before you attempt to review it. You got so many things wrong here, it's pathetic.
Wow, you didn't even watch this movie did you?
You lost all credibility when you got Ruby Jetson's (Gaby Hoffmann) character and Gia Goodman's (Goodman with an 'a') character mixed up. In journalism it's important that you fact check.
I'm not sure you paid enough attention to this movie to even have the right to review it. You lost any and all credibility when you said it was Ritter's character who dressed up like Bonnie Deville. Completely different character. Different actress. I'm not even sure how you confused the two other than you must have not even seen the movie. Then again, a quick Internet search would have told you how wrong you are. I guess it is sheer laziness or stupidity on your part.
Yeah... Ruby Jetson who is played by Gaby Hoffman is actually the one who imitates Bonnie, not the character of Gia Goodman* (re: Goodmen) who was a character in Veronica Mars while a television series.
If you're going to write a review dissing the movie and just Veronica Mars in general and want to sound remotely credible, try and get your facts and basics straight.
Have you even seen the show dude
What is the tie between Bad teacher the tv show and Veronica Mars the movie ? ugh..shrug. And in the VM movie people evolve but also stays true to characters, it is actually true to life. Also the character you describe was not played by Kristen Ritter (she played another character Gia Goodman, who she already played on the tv version) but by Gaby Hoffman, who was new to the VM universe..see how you paid attention..in order to write an inaccurate review..pathetic. VM the movie was a far better movie than the Sex on the city one's..On sex on the city Carrie and co did not evolve much either..actually they evolved LESS than VM.