Bad Times at the El Royale

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Bad Times at the El Royale

R

2018

2h 21m

Mystery & Thriller

Crime

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

75%

Tomatometer

260 Reviews

75%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

The El Royale is a run-down hotel that sits on the border between California and Nevada. It soon becomes a seedy battleground when seven strangers -- a cleric, a soul singer, a traveling salesman, two sisters, the manager and the mysterious Billy Lee -- converge on a fateful night for one last shot at redemption before everything goes wrong.

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Critics Consensus

Smart, stylish, and packed with solid performances, Bad Times at the El Royale delivers pure popcorn fun with the salty tang of social subtext.

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Ben Sachs

Chicago Reader

03/03/2020

Perhaps the most insufferable Tarantino knockoff since the 90s.

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Manohla Dargis

New York Times

04/18/2019

At some point during this logy 2-hour-and-21-minute exercise you want something more substantial than even Hemsworth's admittedly mesmerizing snaky hips.

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Chris Stuckmann

ChrisStuckmann.com

11/20/2018

B+

An extremely well-directed film.

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Yehuda Siegel

Loud and Clear Reviews

11/18/2024

5/5

At its core, Bad Times is a film about duality. California, Nevada. Glamour, abandonment. The song, the food. The money, the film. The sins of the past, the consequences of the present.

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Ankit Ojha

Cinema Elite

07/09/2024

4.5/5

It’s almost like Christopher Nolan and Martin Scorcese doped up on Agatha Christie and Alfred Hitchcock’s contained storytelling before picking up Quentin Tarantino’s “The Hateful Eight” to remix.

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Nyle Coleman

InSession Film

05/09/2024

B+

Jeff Bridges as Father Daniel Flynn was outstanding and will go down as one of my favorites from him.

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Ralph C

05/14/2021

Pacing was a bit irregular - lagged a third to halfway into it. Strong performances all around. Nostalgic (attention to detail is amazing) yet still felt fresh. Not for everyone - you know who you are.

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Allan C

@RT15713161 Aug 24

A Stylish Neo-Noir That Needed an Editor Bad Times at the El Royale (2018) *** A stylish neo-noir mystery set in a gorgeous mid-century motel, BAD TIMES AT THE EL ROYALE has a terrific cast, plenty of twists, and perhaps the coolest retro set this side of FALLOUT. Unfortunately, at two and a half hours, it’s way too long, with several character chapters dragging the film down. There’s a great movie buried in here, but it desperately needed an editor. SEE LETTERBOXED FOR FULL REVIEW

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Chris S

@Janomi Jun 19

Bad Times at the El Royale is a fantastic example of creative, character-driven storytelling. Writer-director Drew Goddard crafts a layered mystery where every guest arrives with secrets, hidden motivations, and a past waiting to be uncovered. The nonlinear structure constantly changes how the audience views each character, making the reveals feel earned and satisfying. The ensemble cast is outstanding. Jeff Bridges brings depth and vulnerability to a complicated character. Chris Hemsworth nearly steals the movie by playing against type as Billy Lee, a charismatic but dangerous figure completely different from the heroic roles audiences often associate with him. The El Royale itself feels like another character. The 1960s setting, cinematography, soundtrack, and production design create a stylish world filled with paranoia and tension. The slower pace may not work for everyone, but the writing, performances, atmosphere, and originality make it an underrated thriller.

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MC R

@RT91491190 Jun 9

A fun and really mysterious movie. Random guys hanging out in Some sort of p* hotel. This movie has a great cast and to be honest this is really weird but cool movie.

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Jason M

@Nautius May 1

Great movie!! Not sure why it's only got a 75% user review. Jeff Bridges was amazing.

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carlo B

@cbaru Apr 21

Tarantino wanna be that failed so damn poorly.

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Synopsis

The El Royale is a run-down hotel that sits on the border between California and Nevada. It soon becomes a seedy battleground when seven strangers -- a cleric, a soul singer, a traveling salesman, two sisters, the manager and the mysterious Billy Lee -- converge on a fateful night for one last shot at redemption before everything goes wrong.

Director: Drew Goddard
Producer: Jeremy Latcham, Drew Goddard
Screenwriter: Drew Goddard
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Production Co: Twentieth Century Fox, Goddard Textiles, TSG Entertainment
Rating: R (Language|Brief Nudity|Some Drug Content|Strong Violence)
Genre: Mystery & Thriller, Crime, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 12, 2018, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 18, 2018
Box Office (Gross USA): $17.8M
Runtime: 2h 21m
Sound Mix: Dolby Atmos
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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