Dir. Drew Goddard (trailer)
Director Drew Goddard is a pro at creating worlds full of twists and turns within his films that will leave you impressed that he is able to do so much with such a small space. Like his wildly popular film The Cabin in the Woods (2011), which takes place primarily in one location, Bad Times at the El Royal is similarly set up, taking place within the walls of a run down hotel that brings a interesting cast of characters together.
Taking place in 1969 on the joined state border of California and Nevada, an aging priest (Jeff Bridges), a down on her luck soul singer (Cynthia Erivo), a vacuum salesman (Jon Hamm), and a mysterious woman (Dakota Johnson) all gather at the El Royal, a dumpy casino/hotel that gives the option of staying in either the California or Nevada side. Each character has their own secret reasons for visiting the hotel, but as the film reveals, the hotel and other outside forces (including a Manson-like cult leader played by a charismatic by Chris Hemsworth) have their own agenda that will eventually bring all the characters together.
This film is unique in that the plot twists happen early in the film, leading the background of each character to be revealed, leading up to the climax of the film. While the film is over 2 hours long, it manages to hold your attention the entire time, and doesn't waste any time with unimportant scenes.
I recommend this film for fans of Quentin Tarantino and character driven movies.
Rating: ★★★★☆
Recommended for fans of: mystery/thrillers, The Hateful Eight (2015), Panic Room (2002), historical/period pieces, Key Largo (1948),
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