Vince Vaughn at the height of cool in Bad Monkey (review)

Vince Vaughn investigates in Hawaiian shirts in this terribly cool Florida thriller, which adapts the novelist Carl Hiaasen with great style.

Of course we all want to be friends with Vince Vaughn ! Of course we would like to be part of his “Frat Pack” (with Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, Will Ferrell & co)! And it's not Bad Monkey – which comes out today on Apple TV+ and Canal + in France – which will make us change our minds. The ex-Serial Party Animal is at the height of his coolness at the center of this relaxed, waterfront Florida thriller…

It should be noted that Bad Monkey is an adaptation of Carl Hiaasena best-selling author for four decades who has not been spoiled by the transposition of his works to the screen until now (Striptease in 1996 and Hoot in 2006 at the cinema).

Phew! Bad Monkey sets the record straight, following in the footsteps of Andrew Yancy, a detective who goes through life without taking himself too seriously. Even after being fired from the Miami police force because he is unable to respect authority, he continues to snoop. Now a health inspector in questionable restaurants in South Florida, he lets his instincts guide him when a severed arm is found floating off the coast of the Keys. Andrew will embark on a case that will lead him to a shady hotel complex project in the Bahamas…

The atmosphere is hot, humid, almost slow, like Florida, a state dear to Carl Hiaasen and at the center of all his novels. Toes fanned out, sunglasses on his nose and beer in his hand, Vince Vaughn leads the investigation with a contagious ease. The dashing comedy actor had already shown this hyper-charismatic side in season 2 of True Detective (where he was almost the only one to stay afloat) and Bad Monkey offers him an ideal terrain to play the “old school” detective, in the style of Sam Spade or Philip Marlowe. A suave and assuredly calm voice-over constantly reminds us of the will of Bad Monkey to look towards the dark thrillers of yesteryear. Except that the Fedoras give way to the Hawaiian shirts of a Vince Vaughn so, so cool.

With this fun and intriguing new series, the brilliant Bill Lawrence – creator of Ted Lasso Or Scrubs – offers a very inspired little pleasure. A thriller that holds up but which is worth it, above all, for our friend Vince.

Bad Monkey, in 10 episodes, to be seen from August 14, 2024 on Apple TV+ and also in France on Canal +.