Netflix has just added a very clever mystery thriller movie

Stephen Porzio

One of the main cast members of The Office wrote, directed and starred in the film.

Netflix has just added Vengeance, the acclaimed 2022 comedy mystery thriller movie from writer-director B.J. Novak (Ryan in The US Office).

Novak stars in the film as well, playing a New York journalist and podcaster named Ben who travels to Texas to attend the funeral of Abby, a woman with whom he had a casual romantic fling.

While there, Abby’s brother, Ty (Boyd Holbrook, Narcos), tells Ben that he suspects his sister – who everyone believes died of a drug overdose – was murdered.

Though Ben is doubtful, he agrees to help Ty find out the truth of what happened – with the journalist thinking the quest would make for an interesting podcast about grief and denial.

As the pair investigate, Ben starts to suspect Ty’s suspicions may be correct.

Novak’s feature directorial debut, Vengeance also stars Ashton Kutcher (The Butterfly Effect), Issa Rae (Barbie) and J. Smith Cameron (Succession).

Garnering an 82% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes, the movie was praised for its clever premise, its dark humour and its deeper themes about a divided America and the morality of making true crime shows.

You can read a sample of some of these positive reviews right here:

ABC News: “As actor, writer and debuting director, a seriously funny B.J. Novak takes aim at an America broken by disconnection. He doesn’t hit every target, but when he does this tale of a New York liberal battling Texas gun nuts comes alive with mirth and menace.”

FilmWeek: “It’s a smart, dark comedy with a little neo-noir about it.”

Houston Chronicle: “The film ends up being more compellingly complicated and emotionally dark than what would have been anticipated for the first movie from a guy who used to be on a hit network comedy.”

The Playlist: “Novak crafts a good mystery, consistently engaging and entertaining, and the thoughtful turns of the last confrontation are sly, smart, and knowing.”

Seattle Times: “It’s a detective story. It’s an insightful commentary on the state of us, which is to say us, the U.S., in this divided, disjointed, distracted age. It’s a comedy, sharp and frequently hilarious.”

Vengeance is streaming on Netflix in Ireland and the UK right now.

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