Inherit the Viper, from director Anthony Jerjen, is a new crime drama covering the opioid crisis. It stars Josh Hartnett, Margarita Levieva, and Owen Teague as Kip, Josie, and Boots Conley - three siblings who assume control of the family’s drug-selling operation after their father goes to prison. Kip and Josie are the seasoned veterans, while the younger Boots is eager to leave his mark. When one of Boots’ side-deals goes horribly wrong, the Conleys become stuck in a difficult situation and are forced to make some hard choices. On-paper, this sounds like it could be a hard-hitting, compelling story, but it doesn’t quite hit the mark. Inherit the Viper is a standard crime film that is somewhat bolstered by the family dynamic at its center and solid performances.
One of the bigger issues with the film is the script by Andrew Crabtree doesn’t really have anything new to add to either the conversation about the real-life opioid crisis Inherit the Viper draws inspiration from (highlighting the already clear message the drug is extremely damaging to not just users, but also those closest to them) or the crime genre itself. As a result, the film dabbles in clichés quite a bit, particularly when it comes to characterization. For example, Boots is the fresh-faced newcomer who still has a lot to learn and Kip is the longtime criminal trying to find a way out. When executed properly, audiences can look past these commonplace tropes, but the problem is Inherit the Viper frequently goes the run-of-the-mill route and doesn’t do something interesting with its Appalachian setting or its main players.
Though Inherit the Viper’s actual story is a little boiler-plate, the film is (mostly) successful at establishing an emotional core with the Conley siblings. There’s a sense of familial history that comes through during Kip, Josie, and Boots’ interactions, providing some necessary shading to their relationships. That said, the characters are still thinly sketched out and ultimately come across as stock for a film such as this and the actors do their part to help elevate the material. Hartnett is the closest thing Inherit the Viper has to a protagonist the audience can get behind, as he channels Kip’s conflicted feelings about continuing the Conley family business and dealing with the inevitable consequences. Levieva also does a good job, making Josie the no-nonsense leader of the operation who has a vulnerable side. Of the leads, Teague is the one that fares the worst, since Boots is fairly two-dimensional throughout the film. As for the supporting cast, those characters barely register as they mainly exist to complement the Conleys’ individual arcs.
Much like the script, Inherit the Viper’s technical aspects don’t reinvent the wheel, but remain competent. Jerjen keeps a steady hand on the material, ensuring the film doesn’t overstay its welcome (Inherit the Viper clocks in at a robust 85 minutes). His crew, which includes cinematographer Nicholas Wiesnet and production designer Tracy Dishman, helps bring the environment of rural Appalachia to life, giving the film a suitably gritty tone as it chronicles a small town being torn apart by the opioid crisis (the Conleys are well-known and rather infamous figures due to their exploits). One of the film’s greatest assets is actually the feeling that the story could be happening anywhere in the country, which allows viewers to see themselves in the story.
Despite a few strong aspects here and there, Inherit the Viper is more or less a fleeting entry into the crime genre that won’t stick out in viewers’ memory after the credits roll. Smartly, Lionsgate is putting the film directly on digital (in addition to a limited theatrical release), so it may be able to draw its target audiences through that distribution pattern. As a smaller work, Inherit the Viper is clearly a title that would have gotten lost amidst the multiplex (even in the dumping ground that is January), but those interested may be more inclined to check it out from the comfort of home.
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Inherit the Viper is now on digital and playing in select theaters.
