Don Verdean

Directed by Jared Hess, Don Verdean follows Sam Rockwell’s title character, a Biblical Archaeologist, as he’s forced to fake several large discoveries to keep his benefactor (Danny McBride’s Tony Lazarus) satisfied. It’s a decent-enough premise that is, by and large, employed to hopelessly lackluster (and surprisingly interminable) effect by Hess, as the filmmaker, armed with his and Jerusha Hess’ screenplay, delivers a sluggish, momentum-free endeavor that contains exceedingly little in the way of compelling elements and attributes – with the arms-length atmosphere compounded by an almost total absence of laughs and Rockwell’s oddly (and disappointingly) muted performance. (The sole exception to the former is an admittedly hilarious bit involving Will Forte and a breakfast-cereal-framed rant.) And while the eventual introduction of Don’s scheme injects the proceedings with a few short bursts of energy, Don Verdean builds towards a fairly endless (and thoroughly unsatisfying) third act that ensures it concludes on about as underwhelming a note as one could envision – with the end result a palpable misfire that squanders its promising setup and strong roster of players.

*1/2 out of ****