Buffaloed, the latest comedy-drama from director Tanya Wexler, found the perfect answer to the question, “How do you make a movie about debt collecting fun?” It cast Zoey Deutch in the lead role. Though if we’re being honest, Deutch would be the answer to most, if not all, questions of how to make [insert something traditionally not fun here] fun. Deutch possesses a certain energy and charisma not many other actors are lucky enough to have.
And she’s at it again here in Buffaloed. Deutch plays Peg Dahl, daughter of single mother Kathy (Judy Greer), who struggles to make ends meet after her husband dies. After seeing how hard life can be without financial means, young Peg sets out on her own, hoping to hustle her way to financial independence.
Peg’s only goal is to make money, and make it any way she can. From selling cigarettes to scamming Bills fans with fake tickets, she’ll do whatever it takes to get ahead. It’s the latter, however, that sets her on her real path, as Peg is arrested for the ticket scam. After a stint in prison, she finds herself saddled with debt, and no real path to paying it off.
Things take a turn, though, after taking yet another call from a debt collector. Peg realizes there is money to be made in the world of debt collection. And just like that, she’s off to the races. Peg is taken under the greasy wing of Wizz (Jai Courtney), the self-proclaimed king of Buffalo debt collecting. But after the partnership with Wizz goes south, Peg sets out on her own, much to Wizz’s displeasure. The rivalry between the two businesses takes us through to Buffaloed’s conclusion, as Peg and Wizz fight for control of Buffalo’s debt collection empire.
Actor-driven
Buffaloed’s story isn’t anything special, but the actors commit to their roles with such earnestness that it often makes up for any shortcomings in the plot or script. Deutch, of course, is the lead and clear star of Buffaloed. She commands the screen the entire time. And while Peg may at times be obnoxious, cocky, amoral, you still can’t help but find yourself rooting for her. And that’s the trick with this kind of character. As a viewer, you don’t always agree with what Peg’s doing, or how she’s choosing to handle her business and relationships. But Deutch has an energy that just draws you into every character she plays. You don’t have a choice but to be on her side.
The rest of the cast is perfectly comfortable playing second fiddle to Deutch’s Peg. Judy Greer is always great, and she squeezes everything she can out of her supporting role as Peg’s mom, Kathy. Kathy obviously loves her daughter, but she can’t support the path she’s choosing to take. Greer manages to perfectly convey that pained conflict.
Noah Reid and Jermaine Fowler help keep Peg grounded as her brother JJ and love interest Graham, respectively. After their father’s death, JJ was really the only person Peg could count on. JJ is her strongest pillar of support. Graham doubles as the lawyer who put Peg in jail, so their relationship is rocky at times, to say the least. The two have some fun back and forth and offer the best moments of situational comedy Buffaloed has to offer.
Then there’s Jai Courtney as Wizz. He may not have the best track record, but he’s perfectly cast here as the slimy debt collector. Courtney seems to revel in this role, and you can easily picture Wizz as any sleazeball salesman you may have encountered in your life.
Narrative choice
This is where Buffaloed might lose some people. It features some narration and even a little fourth-wall breaking. These choices aren’t for everybody. But it’s done mostly effectively, and tends to add more to the story than it takes away.
The bolder choice is one that could prove more problematic. Buffaloed opens with a high-intensity scene, before flashing back well before those events. It’s in the vein of “I bet you’re wondering how I got here.” This trope really throws some people off. And if that’s you, then Buffaloed starts behind right out of the gates. But it course corrects quickly enough, and once it flashes back, the rest of the story is told in the normal linear timeline.
Star making turn?
Zoey Deutch is great. Everything she’s in is made better because of her. And that’s never been more fully on display than Buffaloed. It’s completely and totally her movie and its pulse lives and dies with her. And she proves more than up to the challenge. It will be exciting to see where she goes from here. Hopefully she’ll continue to get more and more challenging roles. She certainly deserves it.
The Verdict: 7.8/10
Buffaloed is playing in select theaters, and is available to rent on demand.