Television

I don't know if it's the actor, or the material causing the actor to bridge a difficult gap. Most of the show has the atmosphere of The Sopranos, but Vic is straight out of a teen drama coming of age movie. He's younger, more modern, and more casual. I think the actor's acting fits in much better in the flashbacks or when he was interacting with his girlfriend. But then that same character has to also fit in with the tone of a gritty old fashioned mafia drama, and he can't play the character too differently from the baseline of being a young fish out of water type, since that's the whole point of the character.

That's what sells it for me, Farrell is spitting fire and this poor schmuck is trying his best to keep up.