All (Private) Eyes on The Veronica Mars Movie

Rejoice, Marshmallows! Today is the day we have been waiting for for seven years. With all the press and cast appearances over the past couple weeks, it’s easy to forget that this isn’t just a regular movie. It’s a groundbreaking movie that would literally never have happened if not for a huge group of fans never came together in the spirit of seeing fictional characters who we once thought were gone forever come back to life (for possibly) one last time.

It took 91,585 contributors, $5,702,153 of hard earned cash and 24 days of filming to create a film which will hopefully provide the kind of closure and fulfillment we never got at the end of the series. I, for one, am confident that creator/executive producer/writer/all around genius Rob Thomas has not gone off the rails and has indeed made a film that will leave VMars believers and non-believers completely entertained and satisfied. That being said, there are a few things to look out for when watching the movie (which you should probs do this weekend) .

To get us fully in the Neptune mood, press play and read on…

The Bitch is Back

Be cool, sodapop, Veronica Mars without the snarkiness is not Veronica Mars at all. Kristen has assured that there is the same amazing wit and sass that is the very foundation of V Mars will have its return on the big screen. In fact, everything we love about her is still in tact 10 years later. Veronica was, and still is, one of the rare female characters on TV who is a headstrong, independent, go-getter who isn’t afraid of, well, anyone.

For the uninitiated, Veronica Mars isn’t just a teen drama. On the surface, it may just look like a UPN/WB/CW show with a pretty blonde girl as the lead, all centered on who she’s going to date next. But just like the lead character itself, the series was so much more than that, dealing with issues like feminism, classism, parental relationships (or sometimes lack thereof), race, and more.

Veronica is a kick ass heroine who is fearless, yet vulnerable, a leader and not afraid to be her true self. We need more of these types of role models for young girls, and I’m glad she’s coming back in full force.

Mars vs. Mars

If there’s one episode to re-watch before seeing the movie, it’s from season one, episode 14, titled Mars vs. Mars. In the ep, there are a few things of note: A) Ben Wyatt/Adam Scott plays teacher Mr. Rooks. B) Blair Waldorf/Leighton Meester plays student Carrie Bishop. C) Carrie accuses Mr. Rooks of getting her pregnant (she gave the baby up for adoption), but Veronica solves the case by figuring out it wasn’t Carrie but rather her BFF Susan Knight who got knocked up by Mr. Rooks.

Why is this important? Apparently this Carrie/Susan/Mr. Rooks situation sets off a chain of events that eventually results in the deaths of BOTH Susan and Carrie. In the movie, Carrie becomes a pop singer, and her boyfriend, Logan Echolls, is the main suspect. Of course he calls the one person who can actually clear his name – ex-girlfriend Veronica.

Blast From The Past

Unfortunately for us, Adam nor Leighton reprised their roles for movie. However, there will be a bunch of returning characters from the series that fans of the show will be more than pleased to see back in Neptune.

For example, we have Vinnie Van Lowe, a rival private investigator played by the hilarious Ken Marino. This is probably one of my favorite scenes with him, and perhaps in the entire series.

Of course we can’t forget the lovable yet quirky Gia Goodman played by a pre-Breaking Bad Krysten Ritter. While she was only in season two, her dad WAS played by a sketchy Steve Guttenberg, so I mean, worth it.

And who could forget, Schmidt himself, Max Greenfield as the charming and smiley Deputy Leo. So I didn’t watch VM while it was on the air, I was one of those fans who binge-watched it all on Netflix. I thought Leo was the cutest and so damn likable, that when I saw him a few months later as this guy, I thought it was insane it was the same actor. Classic Schmidt.

Plus, a bunch of the old high school gang is coming back. It is a 10 year reunion after all. So count in Corny, Madison Sinclair and Principal Van Clemmons to the list, and a few favorites from around town, including public defender Cliff McCormack, Deputy Sacks and *minor spoiler alert* Celeste Kane (aka Lilly and Duncan’s mother).

Oh, and expect some more random cameos from little known celebs like Jamie Lee Curtis, James Franco and Dax Shepard (#1 VMars fan).

You Think You Know Somebody

Speaking of guest stars, Veronica Mars the TV show rivaled series like Arrested Development in scoring surprising cameos, but in reverse, in that they cast all actors who have since become more famous. Like Adam Scott and Leighton Meester, there are a bunch of people who showed up pre-height of fame, Amanda Seyfried (Veronica’s murdered BFF, Lilly Kane, star of Mamma Mia! and Mean Girls), Lucas Grabeel (the “straight” guy from High School Musical) and Dianna Agron (Glee).

But then you also have some more notable names like these guys. (You can find the rest in a previous post here!)

Aaron Paul

Season 1, Episode 11

Before he was a maker of meth, Jesse Pinkman was accused to being a serial killer. So I mean, he has a history of playing troubled characters (RIP Gale).

JTT

Season 1, Episode 18

I was never one of those girls who fawned over JTT. I didn’t get it. Still don’t. Which is why that although I appreciate his rare TV appearance on a UPN show in 2005, I remember his guest starring role mostly because this was the first episode where Veronica and Logan kissed. I mean he played an ATF agent who went undercover as a high school student, so that was cool, I guess. But VERONICA AND LOGAN!! They had an epic kind of love, you know? One that spanned years and continents. Lives ruined, bloodshed, epic.

Rider Strong

Season 3, Episode 2

Good old Shawn Hunter played an asshole classmate of Logan and Wallace in a college class, where they participated in some prison experiment. IDK, basically he made the kid from Freaks and Geeks pee his pants.

Matt Czuchry

Season 3, Episode 4

Logan Huntzberger from my fave Gilmore Girls uses his reporter skills as he pretends to be Logan Echolls’ half-brother just to get a story. Whoa, that got confusing even for me. Again, forget about Matt for a sec because this was a great episode for Jason Dohring who got to show his dramatic side after he found out he still didn’t come close to getting to know his half-brother.

Welcome Wagon

Like it’s been stated multiple times before, this movie was made by Kickstarter backers. Some who were able to give a bit more money earned spots as extras on the movie. Last night, I attended the Veronica Mars panel at the annual PaleyFest here in Los Angeles, which is basically a nearly 2 week television festival, where shows from past and present get together and usually screen something, then there’s a discussion and Q&A with cast and writers after.

horrible picture, but you get the point

Obviously they couldn’t show the movie, and showing an episode wasn’t as exciting, so they premiered a documentary which was made by a former student of Rob Thomas (He used to be a high school teacher. Explains a lot, no?) that gave a behind the scenes look from exactly one year ago, on March 13, 2013, when he launched the Kickstarter campaign, to filming the movie and fan events like at ComicCon. Aptly titled By the Fans, the doc included interviews not only by the cast and producers, but from the fans as well. One thing that was apparent not only in the documentary, but during the panel last night, was that they were totally cognizant and grateful for all 91,000 + fans for giving money just so they could make this movie. As Kristen said, “We’re not flippant about this movie that was made by the fans. I mean that’s fucking radical.”

And it showed when the fans/extras were on set too. The cast ate lunch with them, had actual conversations, took pictures, signed stuff, it looked really cool. My favorite was the story of these two BFFs – long story short, BFF 1 literally was in tears when she found out BFF 2 bought her a Kickstarter reward as an extra for a present. When they were being interviewed on set, Jason Dohring was approaching off camera, and they totally fangirled out but played it cool and were like, ‘Oh it’s Jason Dohring. He’s right there.’ THEN JASON DOHRING CAME OVER and again played it cool, but when he walked away they freaked out and embraced each other and wept. I can’t. All the cast looked so genuine when meeting the backers, it was really nice to see. And hopefully it comes across on screen too.

“The difference between regular fans and Veronica Mars fans is… I only have Veronica Mars fans.” – Ryan Hansen

Weevils Wobble But They Don’t Go Down

Okay, so I know Rob Thomas couldn’t possibly add everything fans are clamoring for in the movie. Mostly because it wouldn’t make sense. But there are a few things I’m hoping will come up in the movie that keen-eyed fans will recognize…

– Sly reference to Steve Guttenberg. Just, Steve Guttenberg. Everything about him, you guys.

– Any sign of Logan’s iconic yellow Jeep would be fantastic. And if Logan and Veronica happen to be making out in it, then that’s fine too.

– Some kind of memorial to ~~Beaver~~ Cassidy (RIP)

– Dialogue about Duncan being in Australia with a kidnapped child. He was one of the most popular kids at Neptune High, there’s no way no one is asking where he is now.

– Anything with Backup the dog.

– Veronica bakes Wallace anything.

Credit Where Credit’s Due

Listen, besides us (the backers) the idea of a movie would never had been kept alive if it weren’t for Rob Thomas, Kristen and the rest of the cast believing in a reincarnation after all these years. And it helps that all the cast likes each other too. I’ve read some bad stories of cast members just not meshing well, and it totally bums me out and ruins the illusion that they like each other on screen. That being said, the VMars cast actually do hang out, go on vacations together, essentially are all in love with each other and I love it.

Ruskie Business

Kristen: “My body wants to be Veronica like it needs oxygen… I’m 100% me in Veronica.”

Jason: “A lot of that emotion was very real for me. I think I was in love with Kristen for the three years we made that show. Like, I truly felt like I would die without her, and I think that’s what underlined everything people loved about them as a couple.”

Well guys, I saved the best for last. LoVe (That’s Logan+Veronica for you non-shippers) is coming back with a vengence in the movie. Like previously mentioned, Logan enlists Veronica’s help to prove he’s not guilty of killing his girlfriend. But I mean, that’s like practically setting it up for them to get together in the movie, right?

While some may argue that Logan is a bad boy who is horrible, and Veronica’s college BF Piz is much better (because you know, he hasn’t like committed crimes or anything), it’s LoVe’s chemistry that is just so off the charts it’s insane not to root for them. But will they make it through the movie?? We’ll just have to find out for ourselves.