Bad Times at the El Royale (R)

“Bad Times at the El Royale” is a really cool movie – crafted in neo-noir style and blended with a Tarantino-esque flavor, it’s unusual in its format, and original in its telling.

Filmmaker Drew Goddard has had a hand in a bevy of movies and TV shows, notably being the writer of “Cloverfield” and the director of “The Cabin in the Woods.”

Here, Goddard does it all; writing, producing, and directing, and the resulting product is excellent. The dialogue is snappy and scenes sharp, and it’s obvious from the jump that Goddard is a Gen-Xer who grew up on a diet of 90s movies.

The great casting, graphic novel type visuals, and solid score and soundtrack work in conjunction with steady cams, long shots, and scenes replayed at various times from the perspectives of various different characters to bring the El Royale itself to life.

Its 1969 and a group of shady individuals each arrive at the El Royale; a seedy motel situated on the California/Nevada border.

It’s an ensemble cast, but 4 guests checking in to the hotel are the key players; Father Daniel Flynn (Jeff Bridges), lounge singer Darlene Sweet (Cynthia Erivo), feisty Emily Summerspring (Dakota Johnson), and garrulous salesman Laramie Sullivan (Jon Hamm). Each brings their own ambiguous backstory, and little by little their true intentions are unveiled.

Jon Hamm has starred in the hit television series ‘Mad Men’ and his rift in the opening minutes of the movie made me an immediate fan. His character gets the first vignette of the movie, a style employed to tell the entire tale, and Hamm proves a perfect actor in a multi-genre role.

The cast is padded with excellent performances all around. Jeff Bridges turns out a fantastic performance as Father Daniel Flynn, channeling his inner ‘Dude’ for a role seemingly designed just for him. “If it’s not a place for priests.” Father Flynn speaks mysteriously about the El Royale. “Then it’s exactly where the lord wants me.”

It’s great to see Bridges gracefully age into senior Hollywood statesman. He’s a terrific actor and can instantly grow into any part he’s playing.

The unusual group of characters are rounded out with the likes of young Cailee Spaeny and Lewis Pullman, and popular Chris Hemsworth. Every actor in the story does a seamless job in portraying the bizarre characters. They are all introduced in progressive fashion as the buildup reveals what brought them all to the El Royale in the first place.

“Bad Times at the El Royale” would make my list as a Top 50 Fave, if not for its glaring Achilles heel; the 142 minute run time. There are rare occasions when a movie nearing 2.5 hours in length is okay, but sadly this isn’t one of them.

Several scenes suffer from poor pacing, and some parts would have better off if removed completely. Trimming twenty minutes would have made it a flawless film, and I expect Goddard’s style to improve as he progresses in his film making career.

Despite the length, “Bad Times at the El Royale” is an excellent movie. If you like films in the mold of “Reservoir Dogs,” “Pulp Fiction,” and “Sin City,” you’ll love its style, format, characters, and story.

by – Matt DeCristo