Very Good "Bad Times at the El Royale"

I first became a fan of Drew Goddard’s work back when he was writing episodes of the television series Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Angel and Lost. The talented and prolific writer, producer and director also created the Netflix version of Daredevil. He wrote the first two episodes of that series, and scripted an episode of the Netflix super-team spinoff, The Defenders. Goddard also penned the screenplays for Cloverfield (2008) and The Martian (2015), and made his directorial debut with the entertaining genre-bending horror film The Cabin in the Woods (2012), which he co-wrote with Buffy creator Joss Whedon. His most recent film, Bad Times at the El Royale (2018), is a noir-infused thriller set in the late 1960s. The story concerns a disparate group of people who come together at the El Royale, a hotel that sits on the border between California and Nevada, which has seen better days. There's a dark history hiding behind its doors.

As the story begins, several people arrive at the hotel, including Daniel Flynn, a priest; Darlene Sweet, a singer; Laramie Sullivan, a salesman, and a tough young woman named Emily Summerspring. After the clerk, a nervous young man named Miles, checks them in, we begin to learn about the backstories of these characters, and what brings them all to the El Royale. Not everyone is who or what he or she seems to be, and everybody has an agenda. When the charismatic (and murderous) Billy Lee shows up, things spiral towards a climactic confrontation. As a rain-drenched night drags on, alliances will be formed, secrets will be revealed, and conspiracies will be unearthed. When the dust settles, not everyone will leave the El Royale alive.

Jeff Bridges and Cynthia Erivo

Goddard’s clever screenplay both hews to and subverts the conventions of multiple genres. The story takes some unexpected twists and turns, weaving together elements of film noir, heist thrillers, conspiracy tales, and music industry stories. Even with all of those elements, Bad Times at the El Royale still manages to throw a couple of other thematic curve balls your way. The performances are letter perfect, with Jeff Bridges offering his usual strong work as Father Flynn, and Chris Hemsworth doing a fantastic job as Billy Lee. Cynthia Erivo is excellent as Darlene; she contributes several amazing vocal performances throughout the course of the film. Dakota Johnson, Jon Hamm, Cailee Spaeny and Lewis Pullman are also impressive in supporting turns. Hamm is a particular delight in a role that plays on his Mad Men persona in humorous and surprising ways.

Goddard’s direction is excellent, and he’s got a stellar crew behind the scenes. The stunning production design by Martin Whist and the incredible cinematography by Seamus McGarvey contribute immensely to the film’s success. The El Royale is a masterpiece of set design and the use of color is outstanding; the hotel really becomes another character in the film. The music choices are inspired, from the songs performed by Erivo to the selections played on the hotel’s jukebox throughout the film. The one factor that works against the movie is its length. At two hours and twenty minutes, it does feel a bit overlong. But that’s a minor quibble. If you are a fan of film noir or neo-noir, Quentin Tarantino films, or twisty tales with multiple characters, you definitely need to book a visit to Bad Times at the El Royale. The movie is now available on Blu-ray, DVD and streaming. Here’s a link to the trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7wzBVARwaU.