B.J. Novak’s directorial debut Vengeance is a comedic, introspective, and thought-provoking collision of the progressive, sensationalized, tech-savvy, and social media-hungry Northeast with the traditionalist, old-world, old-school Southwest. This is according to critics and festival-goers who attended the Vengeance screening at the 2022 Tribeca Film Festival in New York City this past month. The movie, starring Novak, John Mayer, Issa Rae, Ty Holbrook, Lio Tipton, and Ashton Kutcher, takes place in both upscale New York City neighborhoods and rural west Texas. It follows the intertwining lives of so-called cowboy types and “cultured” New York City opportunists.

Vengeance will premiere in US theaters on July 29, 2022, and moviegoers seem eager to see it. Novak is a master of comedy and social satire. The filmmaker has infused his first feature film with insight, interest, and care, and it certainly looks like it will pay off. Here is everything we know about the movie!

The Pursuit of a Podcast and Vengeance

Journalist Ben Manalowitz leads a shallow, contented life in lukewarm pursuit of fame and notoriety. Though Ben’s boss Eloise, portrayed by the legendary Issa Rae, explains to him that “not every white boy needs a podcast,” Ben pretty much has his heart set on this goal. He will stop at nothing to discover and exploit the most podcast-worthy material. Enter Abilene, or rather the absence of Abilene.

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Ben receives a call from her father, who believes Ben to be her boyfriend and the love of her life, for some unknown reason, explaining that she has died of a drug overdose. Ben finds himself in rural, rusty west Texas with the deceased’s family. They generously share their grieving process with him and invite him to speak at the funeral, believing so strongly that he was once emotionally intimate with Abilene, a girl who, in reality, Ben doesn’t know.

Things take a turn, however, when Abilene’s older brother Ty declares to Ben that Abilene didn’t die of a drug overdose, as was publicly the prognosis. He believes she was murdered and wants Ben to help Ty exact vengeance on her killers. Believing he’s finally found that desperately sought podcast material, Ben decides to keep playing along.

B.J. Novak Gets Praise

Vengeance is written and directed by The Office alum B.J. Novak, known as the once straight-laced and eventually ill-fated Ryan. In real life, Novak was the counterpart to the genius of Mindy Kaling, a fellow The Office writer, producer, and star. Vengeance was co-executive produced by Leigh Kilton, who produced the Adam Sandler and Jennifer Anniston-starring Netflix film Murder Mystery, and Christopher H. Warner, of the acclaimed Netflix series Narcos and the award-winning drama film Wind River. While he plays the movie’s main protagonist, a New York City yuppie with a mind for Twitter, likes, views, and little else, Novak’s directing skills are winning this movie praise.

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Vengeance stars B.J. Novak as Ben Manalowitz, a sensational (or rather, sensationalizing) writer for the New Yorker with a verified Twitter account, which is his pride and joy, as well as a penchant for making the most out of the world’s various dating apps, and the deepest desire to have his own podcast. Ben courts so many New York City girls he can’t keep so much as their hair color straight, and the concept of a steady relationship or even an honest and forthright dating process is completely unknown to him.

Lio Tipton of Crazy Stupid Love and Warm Bodies will be portraying Abilene, a west Texas girl in the big city who Ben has some vague memory of hooking up with a couple of times, but whose life he will be changed by in profound ways. The movie also stars musician John Mayer as Ben’s New York City bestie, a fellow shark in the dating sea. Boyd Holbrook stars as Ty, Abilene’s older brother. Finally, Ashton Kutcher (That 70s Show, The Guardian) stars as quite the Texas character and presumably the comedic relief. The movie also stars Dove Cameron, Ryan Hammon, El Bickel, Melissa Chambers, and Avalon Stone as a Whataburger waitress.

Inspired By Filmmaker Jordan Peele

At its core, critics explain that the movie is a noir-esque exploration of a Red vs. Blue America, where things on one side might as well be taking place on another planet compared to things on the other. While the grassroots characters of Ben and the west Texans will serve as telling character studies, the movie’s overall message will be much broader. Audiences are sure to dissect it in greater detail when it’s released.

Without giving away any spoilers, Novak was inspired by Jordan Peele when crafting the film’s twist, which has us even more excited to see this movie on July 29th!