6/19/20 - Buffaloed (2020) - 5+/10

A fast talking mostly enjoyable vehicle for Zoey Deutch that highlights the social scum that is debt collection. This takes the vein of Margin Call, with its 4th wall breaking sneak peak into the business break-down of debt collection in a jazzy fashion, but it is an aside plot vehicle rather than being the point of the film. I think that is a good thing overall, because it allows an actual story to be told about Deutch’s wheeling and dealing grifter.

The cast in this is pretty good. Again, this is Zoey’s vehicle and she grabs that buffalo by the horns. She had the aura, chutzpah, and the acting prowess to keep me locked on her eyes and invested in her forked tongue. Greer was very effective in her subdued motherly presence and Fowler acquitted himself well, but the surprise was Jai Courtney - he was quite good in his smarmy misogynistic sleazebag role. I didn’t even recognize him for a majority of the film while appreciating his work, something that doesn’t often happen.

It moves pretty well, keeping the momentum mostly up with only slight wheel spinning. I don’t feel the crescendo matched with the film opening we were introduced with, and some of the “learn about the system” felt a bit forced. That said, it was overall enjoyable and I am very interested to see Deutch given more, which is a remarkable turnaround from my hatred of her in the lackluster Zombieland squeakquel.