Have Camera, Will Travel
Veronica Mars
Stars: Kristen Bell, Jason Dohring, Enrico Colantoni, Francis Capra, Percy Daggs III, Tina Majorino, Gaby Hoffman, Jerry O’Connell, Ken Marino, Andrea Estella, Jamie Lee Curtis and Christine Lakin with cameo by James Franco
Director: Rob Thomas
Scriptwriters: Rob Thomas and Diane Ruggins
Warner Brothers
Rating: PG 13
Running Length 107 minutes
Even if you haven't seen the television series, “Veronica Mars” about a high school girl in Neptune, CA,  who helps her father in his private investigator business, you can relate to curiosity. A modern version of the “Nancy Drew” books of the 1940’s, Veronica had a troubled mother, honest and kind P. I. father, and enough friends in high school to make a large family. That is just what happens here. The high school pack, and they were not the popular ones, either, still come together when there is a problem. This time, it is a major problem, the murder of a classmate, a suspect who is a classmate, and class reunion time around the corner.
Ten years after high school graduation finds the group has gone their separate ways. Some are married with family, others still dating, one is in the military, one turns into a pop singer, and Veronica (Kristen Bell) is about to land a job as a lawyer in a prestigious firm in New York and to be engaged to a fellow classmate, Stosh (Chris Lowell). She gets a call from old beau and wealthy guy, Logan (Jason Dohring) who is the suspect of the murder of girlfriend, Bonnie (Andrea Estella). Back in Neptune, plans for the class reunion are underway, while Veronica uses her father’s equipment to prowl about for information about Bonnie’s past, and it begins to look interesting and tied in with other classmates. In fact, Veronica finds out, there is something familiar here about those classmates, and they were friends with another classmate, Susan, nine years ago and Susan went missing, presumed dead. The plot thickens and Veronica starts to get in over her head. In the meantime, Veronica’s Dad (Enrico Colantoni from “Flashpoint” and “Person of Interest”) has problems with the local sheriff (Jerry O’Connell.) The police can do just about anything in Neptune these days, and get away with it. James Franco’s cameo is a gem.
The fun of “Veronica Mars” are the various characters she meets while investigating a case. If it isn't a biker with a soft heart, or a sleaze who hides cameras everywhere for profit (watch those tablets). Veronica is a fast thinker, both with a quip and able to get out of situations. What I always liked about the television series was the easy and soft familiarity between father and daughter and that still holds for the film. The class reunion scenes could come from just about any small town when old rivalries come forth. Kristen Bell carries off the lead role just fine. There is always an inquisitive gleam in her eye. Jason Dohring as Logan knows what makes Veronica tick and that is obvious to everyone. Most of the cast members of the television series are here and I hope there isn't another long wait before we have another “Veronica Mars” film. This one was financed by a Kickstarter Campaign to the tune of six million dollars. It looks great which proves you can do good work without a sky-rocket budget. Kickstarter worked well in my town for the installation of new projection equipment in an art theater. Media helping media is the way to go now. By the way, "Veronica Mars" fans are called marshmallows.
Copyright 2014 Marie Asner