Veronica Mars trailer
Picking up seven years after the final show of the popular mid-2000s hit, the back story of Veronica Mars is at least as interesting as the film itself. Heavily backed by fans through a Kickstarter campaign – ironically joked about in one of the opening scenes – the crucial question 'is it a fan only affair?' looms large. The answer is a yes and a no. A little knowledge of the show's three seasons can go some way to appreciating the in-jokes and nods and winks. However, with Veronica's (overly) portentous use of film noir voice over to fill in the gaps, an audience new to her home town of Neptune, California is never too far behind the action. Bell brings an enthusiasm to her sarcastic, wisecracking private eye, with her wise beyond her years scorn for the modern world being a central part of the character's appeal. Part high school reunion and part murder investigation, the plot itself is secondary to the well-oiled scripting and acerbic Cali social commentary. Devotees of the original – the so called marshmallows – will be no doubt be delighted with the results.
Veronica Mars | Directed by Rob Thomas (USA 2014) with Kristen Bell, Jason Dohring, Chris Lowell, Ryan Hansen, Percy Draggs III, Francis Capra, Enrico Colantoni. Starts March 13