Set in the late 1960s, Bad Times at the El Royale tells the story of a disparate group of strangers who come to stay at a once thriving hotel-casino straddling the Nevada-California border. No one is quite what they seem, and secrets are slowly revealed over the course of one tumultuous night.
Writer-director Drew Goddard makes masterfully effective use of flashbacks and scenes replayed from different characters’ points of view to tell a gripping and unexpectedly complex tale. The numerous subplots and character arcs could have easily turned into a jumbled, gimmicky mess, but Goddard maintains tight control and direction throughout. While the story gets complicated, it remains coherent.
Bad Times at the El Royale features a relatively large ensemble cast including Jeff Bridges, Chris Hemsworth, Jon Hamm, Dakota Johnson, Lewis Pullman, Cailee Spaeny, and award-winning stage performer Cynthia Erivo in her first feature film role. All of them give outstanding performances. There’s not a weak link in the bunch. Hemsworth is turning out to be a much better actor than I would have given him credit for a few years ago. Props to Erivo as well. Some actors never quite manage the transition from stage to screen, but she certainly did.
Jeff Bridges, Jon Hamm, and Cynthia Erivo in Bad Times at the El Royale. IMDb.com
