Veronica Mars(2014)

“Do I get a chip for this? Pouring the drink. Swishing it. Smelling it. Leaving the bar without taking a sip. Is this what getting clean feels like?”

            One of the only quotes from a book or play or anything I read in high school comes from The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie when Jean tells the girls in her class “Give me a girl at an impressionable age and she is mine for life.” I must have been at an impressionable age when I began watching Veronica Mars. I cannot even remember when I got into it or how I got into it or why I even wanted to see it in the first place. All I can remember is that Veronica was and still is a very influential character. I can remember I have always wanted to be snarky and fabulous and iron willed like she is. Veronica is just the type of character young girls need in their lives. I believe I was in my late teens when I started watching Veronica Mars and however many years later at twenty-six I still admire the character the character to no end and still want to be like her ha ha.

            When I heard there was going to be a Veronica Mars movie I was beyond thrilled. I missed all the snarkiness and great quick wits and lines. I missed one of my top TV heroines (Sydney Bristow is top dog followed very closely by Veronica). It was great to see I was not the only one who desperately missed the show. The movie was, literally, given life by the fans through a Kickstarter campaign.

            It has been nine years since Veronica Mars (Kristen Bell) was last back in her home of Neptune, California. Years ago her father had been the town sheriff until he was run out of office by the locals when he tried to pin the murder of Veronica’s friend Lily Kane on the girl’s father. After that Veronica was shunned by the people she thought were her friends and began working with her father at his PI firm. Veronica got by with her sarcasm and smarts. In college she thought about going to the FBI but nine years later that did not happen. Instead she went to law school.

            While waiting for an interview Veronica gets a call from her old boyfriend Logan Echolls. She has not spoken to Logan in nine years. He has is a suspect in the murder of his girlfriend Carrie Bishop who is a popular singer. Even though she has a great offer with a law firm in New York Veronica agrees to go out to see Logan but only for a few days and only to help him choose a lawyer.

            Needless to say Veronica’s plans get totally blown and she winds up staying to solve the case. Throughout the movie her voiceovers explain Logan and her need to solve crimes and investigate to get the truth as a drug that she is addicted to. The deeper into the case she gets the harder for her it is to get out.

            It was great to see the entire cast of the show come back to their characters. They all did not miss one beat it was as if they never came out of character. Kristen Bell is just an awesome actress. No one else could ever have played Veronica Mars any better. The character goes through a rollercoaster ride of emotions and Bell handles all those emotions like a champ. Jason Dohring who plays Logan was never one of my favorites. Logan, to me, was never really a good character to begin with. I was always Team Piz. Ryan Hanson gets ten points out of ten for playing Dick Casablancas. Dick, even though he is a huge jerk, was one of my favorites because he was so damn funny.

            I have to be a bit of an asshole and brag about the time I met Kristen Bell. I got a chance to meet her when she did Big Apple Con in New York City a few years ago when she was on Heroes. I was nervous with excitement and anticipation. Before this I had never met one of my favorite actresses. My brother came with me and we got a picture with Bell. After we took the picture I asked Bell if I could get a hug and she very nicely and very sweetly said “Yeah sure” and gave me a big hug. At that moment I could have died and gone to heaven! (I’d like to say I did not fan girl it too much but I may have I can’t remember!) Then we were getting her autograph my brother asked her what it was like working with Judd Apatow since she had just filmed Forgetting Sarah Marshall. For two minutes she talked to my brother about the movie and some of the scenes she just completed. So whenever you read or heard about how nice and sweet Kristen Bell is absolutely believe it.

            I always going back and watching something I have not seen in ages. It has been ages since I sat down to watch Veronica Mars. I know I love the show I know I love because Veronica is snarky and wonderful and Kristen Bell just kicks ass as the character. And also because the dialogue is the best I have ever heard on a series. But since I have not seen the show or the characters in forever I remembered exactly why I love it and why Veronica is one of my heroes.

            The Veronica Mars movie was fantastic. The story was great it was darker than the TV show could ever be. I loved the fact that there was a bit of cursing it was perfect for all the characters. The reason this movie was perfect is because the creator of the show, Rob Thomas, wrote and directed it. It was never out of the hands of the creator and the cast all came back. That is dedication and that is what makes this movie so perfect. The direction, writing, and pace never fail to keep you entertained. Even if you have never seen the TV series you should still go see it (there is a recap of the series at the beginning). If you are a Veronica Mars fan or Marshmallow, get ready to have one of the greatest movie experiences you could ever ask for.