At the end of last school year, I made a list of a few movies I wanted to watch over the summer. I did not anticipate that the list would double almost immediately.
Most importantly, what I did not see coming was a 2018 sleeper hit starring several big names in Hollywood today, becoming my favorite film of the entire summer and one of my new all-time favorites.
Bad Times at the El Royale is a 1960s thriller that takes place at a run-down motel on the border between California and Nevada. Among its occupants are a priest, a singer, a hippie, a Southern salesman, a cult leader, and a nervous bellhop, none of whom is what they seem. The film follows these characters as secrets are revealed, plots are schemed, and everything goes wrong.
One of the most fascinating things about this movie is that, despite having an insanely stacked cast, it received little attention. Jeff Bridges as Father Daniel Flynn had many layers and great lines to deliver, making him fun to watch. While their screen time is minimal, Jon Hamm and Chris Hemsworth embody their respective characters perfectly. Dakota Johnson and Cailee Spaeny work well together as siblings here, even if Spaeny is a little cryptic and creepy.
The standouts here, however, are Cynthia Erivo and Lewis Pullman. Neither had much film experience before El Royale (even though Lewis is a “nepo baby”), and both raise the bar exponentially. Erivo’s lead performance as Darlene Sweet is incredible, and her live singing is always impressive. Pullman’s Miles Miller, hilariously described in the script as a “wet rat,” has a lot going on under the surface that is revealed brilliantly and played to perfection.
The film is also incredibly made, with lots of bright colors and some fun montage moments. It often emulates a Tarantino essence, reminding me a lot of Pulp Fiction and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, being highly stylized, fairly dark, and violent. As mentioned earlier, Erivo does a fair bit of live singing, but the rest of the soundtrack is catchy, full of 1960s doo-wop and rock songs.
While I adore this movie to pieces, I think there’s one major flaw to be found, and that is the runtime. Very few movies nowadays can justify being two and a half hours long, and since I’ve gotten into film editing, there are a few scenes, particularly towards the end, that could have been trimmed a few minutes shorter.
Overall, Bad Times at the El Royale is slowly becoming one of my favorites of all time, and it’s a shame that it didn’t get as much attention when it came out.
Check this one out and have a grand old time!
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