Vince Vaughn Proved Himself in “Maybe Tomorrow.”

By Reuben Levine | Jul 7, 2015

Long before the second season of True Detective started airing, there was a lot of talk about Vince Vaughn’s eventual performance. Doubters could hardly be blamed; Vince Vaughn had been known for his comedic work for over a decade. But with True Detective’s most recent episode, “Maybe Tomorrow,” Vaughn has finally come into his own as Frank Semyon.

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That’s not to say that Vince Vaughn hadn’t been pulling his weight in True Detective before this. His work as Frank, combined with Farrell as Ray, make the most interesting pair in the season. But there wasn’t really that much setting him apart from the other characters — he was just another quietly angry guy.

But “Maybe Tomorrow” finds Frank losing his grip. In the first episode of the season, Osip describes the old Frank as being a “terror.” We’re only just now starting to find out what that really means. Frank is feeling that returning to the old ways might just be the only way to move forward, and it’s allowing Vince Vaughn’s acting ability to shine through.

As a man quietly holding onto the edge, Frank isn’t very compelling. But as man ready to throw himself off the cliff to save his future, he’s a force to be reckoned with. Frank is a complicated character, and Vaughn plays his descent perfectly. The fight scene between him and an old associate is a serious True Detective highpoint. When Frank says “What kind of way is that to greet the world?” it’s a perfect moment.

Frank is a monster at heart, but he’s not a typical gangster. He’s well-educated and well-spoken and he knows how to achieve his goals. Now that Frank is a step away from loosing himself — we see a flash of this in the new preview — Vince Vaughn is finally able to bring him to life in a serious way.

Next: Fans really like Lera Lynn in True Detective.

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