Hi Film Fans!
Every so often an "art house" film comes along that knocks our socks off!
Bad Times at the El Royale is one of them. This film is as bizarre and fascinating as I've ever seen.
Never the spoiler, I'll just say a few words about the plot: A hodgepodge of weird, dysfunctional characters meet at a hotel on the California-Nevada border. Each is there for a different reason, some not so savory.
At first, the encounters seem fairly innocuous. A salesman, a priest, and a singer await their rooms in the lobby of the hotel. Question is: Are they who they say they are? What are they really doing there? And when others arrive, why are they there as well?
Nothing is as it first seems. The sunny opening gets "noir" fast!
The brief overview may not seem that gripping. But the film draws you in and keeps you glued to the screen. Things start to happen, and first appearances quickly crumble! Before long, there's a conflict between good and evil, and between diverse personalities, that leads to tense drama and eventual violence.
Have I piqued your interest? I can't say more.
Let me comment on the actors:
John Hamm: If you thought he could never be anyone other than Don Draper in Mad Men, think again! Hamm is sleazy, and not so sleazy, as his character evolves.
Chris Hemsworth: The well-known Hollywood hunk is one bad dude! Think of anyone who is pure evil....that's him!
Dakota Johnson: Having earned her rep as the adventurous lover in Fifty Shades of Grey, she is a far cry from that role. Check out the shotgun she carries!
Jeff Bridges: The wonderfully versatile actor is a long ways from "the Dude" in The Big Lebowski.
Now he's a well-spoken priest...or is he?
Lewis Pullman: A relative newcomer to Hollywood, the son of Bill Pullman, sometimes steals the show. Yes, he's that good. Watch him change as the freaky events unfold!
Cynthia Erivo: The British actress, currently embroiled in a debate about whether she is the right actress for the role of Harriet Tubman in a soon-to-be-released movie, sings beautifully. She epitomizes the conflict between morality and immorality in the film.
So, we have a film with great actors and a truly original plot.
But why do I really love this movie?
I am amazed at how it unfolds like a morality play. Every act is shaded. No one is totally right, and no one is entirely wrong. Don't miss the fire symbolism that represents hell...and the angelic singer's voice that represents heaven.
Need I say more? The film shocks but is laden with deep and troubling messages.
Go to Netflix or other sources and catch this one-of-a-kind masterpiece.
Grade: A++.... one of the best I've seen.
