Buffaloed

By: Ashlee Dell’Arciprete

If you are a prospective, current or former student or have ever had any bills, which likely covers just about everyone, debt is your worst nightmare. And if you have any sort of debt than debt collectors are the catfishes of the financial system to you. Buffaloed, a film that premiered at the 2019 Tribeca Film festival, takes a fast-paced comedic approach at debt collection agencies and their clever tactics at scheming for a profit.

Buffaloed begins with Peg Dahl (Zoey Deutch) giving a PowerPoint presentation about the downsides of her hometown of Buffalo, the upstate city of New York which, of course, is known for being the parent of Buffalo Wild Wings with thick sauces and even thicker accents. She comes from a blue collar background as the daughter of a hairdresser (Judy Greer). Peg loves scheming and wants to get out of Buffalo and forget her upbringing so badly that she’ll do anything. She tries to keep her mother and brother JJ (Noah Reid) out of it, but they eventually get tied into Peg’s scheming along with Graham (Jermaine Fowler), who she has quite a strange relationship with. Peg is trying to get rich quick, but after landing herself in jail she has a realization that turns in to one of the only sleazy occupations that isn’t technically illegal – debt collecting. She starts her own debt collecting business and gathers her own team. The only problem is that it’s a man’s world. Peg is a woman on a mission, power suits and all, and she’s going all the way.

Zoey Deutch shines in this role and proves a versatility as an actress as Buffaloed is much different from her other notable role in the hit Netflix rom-com Set It Up. Deutch brings a great energy to her scenes and, while she’s playing a character who would be severely unlikeable in the real world, she kills it. And let’s not forget about the incomparable Judy Greer who shines in this role and every scene between her and Deutch packs laughs. The supporting cast is also great. My only complaint is that the film definitely could have used more scenes with Judy Greer in them.

Tanya Wexler’s Buffaloed echoes Vice and The Wolf of Wall Street in its editing and cuts and even breaks the fourth wall so that the audience is well-aware of why Peg is being Peg at that moment. Peg is the Jordan Belfort of debt collecting, minus all of the drugs.  Funny enough, Brian Sacca, who played Robbie “Pinhead” Feinberg in The Wolf of Wall Street, wrote the screenplay of the film. Sacca has also written for a slew of award shows, series and shorts and the the humor definitely comes through, although it doesn’t always land.

As you may be able to tell from the name of the film, Buffaloed is a very Buffalo-centric film with endless nods to it’s wings and criticisms of what real pizza is defined as. Furthermore, for a movie that is solely based in Buffalo, the fact that it was filmed in Vancouver is a bit off. All around, Buffaloed is a smart, witty comedy with an excellent cast of sharp and clever characters that proves women are unstoppable.

Buffaloed held its world premiere at the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival and is currently seeking distribution.