The Island Cinephile

Bad Times at the El Royale: A Fanciful 60s Style Thriller

“This is not a place for a priest, Father. You shouldn’t be here.”

Miles Miller

Bad Times at the El Royale is a fanciful thriller originating in the cusp of a flourishing 70s in rural Los Angeles. Located along the California-Nevada border, we are introduced to seven strangers who happen to find themselves at the El Royale and each one of them for obscure reasons. An anxiety-stricken hotelier named Miles Miller is our point of reference regarding the hotel. He relays a dirge about its origins in the presence of the first three guests – Laramie Seymour Sullivan, Darlene Sweet, and Father Daniel Flynn. Arriving later is Emily Summerspring along with her sister Rose Summerspring though not in the way one would think. Our director, Drew Goddard, seemed to have adopted and birthed a Tarantino-esque inspired film based on a forgotten time in history. The El Royale is a fictional hotel which was inspired by the Cal Neva Lodge where celebrity guests frequented and scandals were born. Using this as a backdrop, the audience begins to surmise that this hotel is not what it seems.  As each guest is provided with their room key, we as the audience are introduced to who they truly are within the confines of their rooms. 

Jon Hamm surprises with his interpretation of Sullivan who poses as a salesman but is truly an undercover agent whose real name is Dwight Broadbeck. His skill set is displayed efficiently, and he soon finds himself ahead of the curve and we are fed information about each character. Miles is the result of Lewis Pullman who struggles with a drug addiction. Pullman’s work in the film is effectual in portraying a tormented soul. Father Flynn, vitalized by Jeff Bridges, is far from a saintly priest. Bridges does a stellar job of bringing his character to life. Darlene Sweet is my first introduction to Cynthia Erivo and her powerhouse vocals. In the confines of her room, she croons “This Old Heart of Mine” by the Isley Brothers. Erivo’s postulation is as haunting as it is convincing. Then, we are introduced to Dakota Johnson as Emily, who is with her sister Rose played by Cailee Spaney. Dakota’s character works because her nonchalance in the film is representative of her usual disposition; whilst Spaney’s performance is disturbing. These revelations evolve into murder, kidnapping, stealing, and cult-like behavior. Not only does the El Royal straddle the California and Nevada fault line, but it also straddles the ideals of right and wrong. With heavy religious themes and morally gray areas, our film’s theme is heavily lent to the idea of redemption. To lead us in this charge, a Charles Manson inspired character named Billy Lee is adopted by Chris Hemsworth. Billy Lee is considerably a threat, yet Hemsworth’s performance felt a bit restrained. He is considered one that is morally deficit; merely a wolf in sheep clothing as his cult is radicalized to do wrong on account of his “teachings.” The presence of these distinct characters makes for an exhilarating thriller with unexpected twists and turns. 

The time lent for each character is minimized due to so many subplots. This also resulted in bloating of the run time. However, Bad Times can boast about an original, hyperlinked storyline. The soundtrack which made up the core of the film is superb and is owed to Michael Giacchino. The beautiful cinematography is the work of Seamus McGarvey with its writing and direction by Drew Goddard. Goddard’s writing required a bit more work but managed to suffice based upon the work of the actors. Bad Times at the El Royale is a definitive film for me and remains one of my most considered watches in present times. From the set design to the costuming, to the soundtrack and cinematography, it gave an intriguing result. With an average rating, this film possessed the star qualities to be the greatest but happened to fall short in a few areas like pacing, character development, and stronger writing. Nevertheless, it is commended in its ability to produce a hyper-linked storyline, solid soundtrack, and a sufficiently successful thriller. 

Watch trailer for Bad Times at the El Royale.