Skip to main content

Bad Times at the El Royale (2018), R, ★★★


A murder mystery is a genre that can get a viewer intrigued and hooked as to trying to figure out who each character really is. With this movie, it is like Clue tied in with Quentin Tarantino movies more with Reservoir Dogs and The Hateful Eight (which was good but underwhelming compared to his previous work). But, this what the movie is a slow-burn Tarantino-esque film that is twisted, violent and a bit overlong. Overall, some of the violent surprises are derailed by a bit of too predictable moments and character arcs, however, I had a fun time experiencing this movie.

In 1969, some individuals arrive at the El Royale with their different agendas. Father Daniel Flynn (Jeff Bridges) meets with struggling lounge singer Darlene (Cynthia Erivo), who is on her way to Reno. Vacuum salesman Laramie Seymour Sullivan (Jon Hamm) is there getting himself acquainted drink and makes some rude comments towards Darlene because of her race, claiming to be joking. Emily Summerspring (Dakota Johnson) enters into the hotel dressed as a hippie and the hotel's sole employee, Miles Miller (Lewis Pullman), tends to the patrons and get them to sign their names on the itinerary.

The formerly extravagant El Royale hotel has fallen on dire financial straits since its gambling license has been revoked. But, four different people have attended the hotel with seemingly different missions, however, it may have to do with the prologue regarding a man named Felix (Nick Offerman) hiding a bag of money 10 years earlier.



I know that is not much to write regarding the synopsis but I cannot reveal what their mission or what their character arcs seem to be. I had more fun with the first half of the story as director Drew Goddard is paying an homage to Tarantino's movies by displaying different title cards focusing on different characters and their missions. You can easily tell by the opening that each character's agenda or personality can be deceiving because (surprise!) all of them are not who they seem to be. The movie seems to become a musical assortment of flavor with its on-the-nose songs in the center but with thrilling ideas and surprises, heartbreak, charisma and hard-core violence around it. Sometimes, the assortment works and sometimes, the assortment goes a long way and loses its edge especially towards the end of the movie.

The cast all around is fantastic. You sympathize Jeff Bridges as you can see that his character is not really a priest but you feel for him because he cannot think or say clearly because he is suffering from dementia. Cynthia Erivo is a revelation in this film as she conveys her true nature of power and vulnerability through her performance and also her singing as she struggles to get ahead in the singing industry. Jon Hamm has a quiet, under-the-radar performance. Dakota Johnson is fierce as the shot-gun wielding woman attempting to save her sister from the cult leader played by Chris Hemsworth, who uses his swagger and exposed six-pack for evil. And, even though his character is seemingly a cliche, it's great to see him have some fun for the role.

Goddard does a good job displaying the atmosphere in an isolated location that is somewhat of another homage to Hitchcock, specifically Psycho, because of the secluded, rundown hotel. However, he focuses so much on style, tone and atmosphere, he had strings on the plot in the first half but loses its way in the second half, persuading us to wait for the surprise and eventually, nothing happens which is disappointing. The last 10-15 minutes were the most conventional as you knew that it is a bonanza of violent action but it is retreated to conventions as you know which character lives and which character dies and it frustrated me. The end did feel like a conventional Hollywood ending where any director could have shot that. But, it is not enough to make me disappointed with the overall product, it is a good time at the Bad Times at the El Royale.

***


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

2015 Documentaries

I have only seen 6 documentaries this year which also includes Amy and I Am Chris Farley . But, I have to be honest, this has not been a particularly strong year for documentaries except for onethat got me emotionally and mentally as what I examine for when they uncover the truth or some facts from the people involved in these documentaries. But, here are the four I have seen this year: Listen To Me Marlon, Unrated, 4 stars This is the most insightful documentary of the year as we only hear Marlon Brando narrating his life and experiences what he has gone through regarding his family, his private life and his film experiences regarding The Godfather , Apocalypse Now , Last Tango in Paris , etc. It is like Marlon Brando came out of his grave to give us another profoundly moving movie only we hear his voice and scenery and nothing else. The Look of Silence, R, 3.5 stars Joshua Oppenheimer's follow-up documentary is a light-hearted but still-disturbing film regarding a ...

Daddy's Home 2 (2017), PG-13, ★1/2

The first Daddy's Home was surprisingly a financial success as I thought it was not as bad as many people thought. I thought it was a solid cable watch because it had enough laughs for that sort of mixed recommendation. I was not craving for a sequel for this movie because again, comedy sequels have a very bad record, however, the only difference is that it is not too late since the first movie came out a few years ago. But, this sequel is a reminder as to why we do not need a sequel to a hit comedy because this is a pretty much forgettable comedy, especially a holiday comedy...which I hade a guilty pleasure for. This did not work for me. Brad and Dusty (Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg) have become friends after the events of the first film and they set up a co-dad system where their two children, Megan and Dylan, spending time at each father's home. Dusty has re-married to writer Karen (Victoria's Secret model Alessandra Ambrosio) and he is step-dad to Adrianna, Karen...

The Wolf of Wall Street (2013), R, 4 stars

The stockbrokers worshipping Jordan Belfort (Leonardo DiCaprio) like a god. Wall Street. The clients, the adrenaline, the stocks, the money, the power, and the decadence. The former three pertains to the man's job, but the latter three pertains what any stockbroker wants in order to have the freedom to do whatever they want with the client's money. As Mark Hanna (Matthew McConaughey) would say, "The name of the game is: move the money from your client's pocket into your pocket." We basically spend three hours seeing all of these Wall-Street scumbags steal the clients' money into their own pockets and spend it on booze, drugs, women, and other insane things in more insane activities. I have witnessed here is a great movie that I would not watch repetitively. The movie starts with Jordan Belfort (Leonardo DiCaprio) blowing cocaine onto a hooker's butt and he and his brokers throwing a little person onto a board with a dollar sign in the center. It'...