Bad Turn Worse

source: Bad Turn Worse

If you think the title is strange wait until you actually see the film. First of all, the synopsis for Bad Turn Worse is not entirely accurate. It's not three young adults fleeing small town Texas to find a better life, it's actually just two. One of our main characters, B.J. (Logan Huffman) is losing both his girlfriend, Sue (MacKenzie Davis) and best friend, Bobby (Jeremy Allen White) to college. So, he takes them both out for a wild night of partying and drinking at a local bar and hotel to celebrate. However, in Bad Turn Worse, nothing is really what it seems. ***SPOILER ALERT*** The money B.J. is freely throwing all over the place for his girl and best friend is actually stolen from his boss (or is it?) And Bobby and Sue? Well, there's more to their leaving than just college. What unfolds is a big series of plot twists that could have been pretty good - except the horrible script by Dutch Southern and mediocre to bad acting got in the way. ***END SPOILER*** This is one strange movie, I'll say that again. For one, the plot tends to drag along with all the enthusiasm of a turtle, and a good deal of what happens seems illogical. Why writers make these characters so clueless, especially characters who are supposed to be intelligent, is mind-boggling. It doesn't help that most of the performances were dry - as if the cast conceded early on that this will never be anything more than a B-rated film. I guess some of the blame can be shifted to the directors, Zeke and Simon Hawkins. While they do an excellent job capturing the gritty feel of rural Texas, they don't do so well with directing the cast. Dialogue between characters is also pretty horrible. Often, a character will start rambling on with some parable that takes up entirely too much time; guess the writers intended for these stories to be awe-inspiring but they only leave the viewer confused. Little of these heart-to-heart chats actually tie in well with what's going on in Bad Turn Worse, which actually ends with a references back to one of these little parables/speeches (or whatever the writer wants to call them) that happened early in the film. Let me tell you, it wasn't an effective strategy. Anyway, I give it a 4 out of 10 because I think the plot, though strange, was overall pretty good. With some cleaning up of the script and better directing/acting, Bad Turn Worse could have been a winner. Oh, and maybe had they gave it a better name, too...

Three Texas teens hope to make a break for it and escape their dead-end existence in a cotton-mill town but get sucked into the seedy underbelly of organized crime when one of them steals from the wrong man. The general plot of this is pretty good, and fans of crime or heist movies will probably dig it. There is a really cool scene with the heist run-through that really makes the film for me, and if nothing else, solidified this as a better-than-average movie. What are we to make of the "32 ways to tell a story" theme? Is that a hint of how we should interpret this plot? It seems like yes, but exactly what we are to take away from it remains unclear. Perhaps a second viewing is in order?

I seldom write reviews - especially about forgettable films, but I can't understand why every prior review for this film is either so adulating or lambasting. I thought the film wasn't that bad, but it's not all that great either. It's not a nonstop adventure like "30 Minutes or Less." Its pacing is more like that of "Near Dark" or "A Simple Plan." And the pacing very fits well with the story and its setting. The script was pretty well-thought out and well-written, if not exactly moving or memorable. The direction and cinematography were excellent. They used the flat, bland, decaying Texas coastal plains marvelously - kind of like John Ford used to use the American west. When the film is over, you may forget the characters, but you'll remember the scenery. Mark Pellegrino has fun with his role as a charming and self-wise sociopath. William Devane makes the most of his minute on camera. Mackenzie Davis affects more of a middle Tennessee accent than a south Texas accent but at least she tried. Logan Huffman sounds just like Bruno Kirby and somebody apparently thought he would be more believable as a Texan if he simply called everybody "Hoss" or "Podner." I doubt that annoys anybody outside of Texas (I see most of this movies rave reviews came from Canada, Scotland and Ireland) but sure annoys the hell out of people who know better. But my biggest complaint, however, is that I haven't heard so many racial insults since "Django." Again, maybe this is the stereotypical Texas that people elsewhere want to imagine, but people in south Texas haven't spoken like that since the '40s or '50s. There's so much intermingling of ethnicities in that area that to think or speak like that would offend the overwhelming majority of ones' family and friends. Now granted, fictional stories deserve a wide latitude for artistic license, and people involved in nefarious activities can be offensive and without conscience. But so much of the characterization was simply cartoonish and ultimately I think that undermined the film.

Excellent thriller!! The characters and their relationships are well developed. You immediately take an interest in their lives and want to know more. The actors did a tremendous job at portraying their characters. There is a good balance in the different aspects of the storyline. The Texas setting is seamless; it is exactly what you would expect of this type of thriller and more. The Hawkins brothers waste no time diving straight into the action. It is refreshing. They grab your attention from the opening scene. There is just enough of a plot twist to keep you guessing. The cinematography is flawless and the Hawkins brothers add some visually appealing and unique. This is a must-see!

"We gotta get out of this place" ... that's the title I saw this movie with at a Festival. It's a nice little thriller, where the inciting incident can be smelled a mile away (at least). If you can get over that bump, you are in for a nice little ride. It has a few nice twists and turns along the way. The acting is good enough and the movie has a nice pace. Are there flaws/clichés along the way? Yes there are, but like with the initial bump, they can be overlooked to a certain extent. Relationships are almost drawn and are heading to an obvious (from the start) direction. But if it's done right ... like here, you can forgive the movie. If you do, is up to you

I LOVE this movie. Saw it in Toronto at TIFF and then again at AFI Fest in LA, and both times was wowed by everything about this film. The tone, the setting, the characters, the acting, the music - it's a greasy, gritty, Texas neo-noir thriller that has impeccable style. Gotta say too that Mark Pellegrino plays one of the all-time great bad guys in this film - probably my favorite performance of his. And on top of it all, it's a perfect example of the power that indie filmmakers have, and should be an inspiration to others who want to make a film on very little money and a lot of heart. See this movie whenever you get the chance. I know I can't wait to own this one.

Well I don't know whose rating these movies so high but must be someone involved with the production and on IMDb. Pathetic. One of THE worst movies I have seen this year, couldn't wait for it to end. Simple plot - boy steals money, no reason why, spends the money stupidly in some bars (not the real underworld mind you) and nothing amis here just some frat boys handing out in a country bar. Nothing happens in the middle of the movie, it's a love triangle. Anytime its 2 dudes and a girl, love triagle presumed. Well this one doesn't disappoint. Bad dudes are non-existent in thie movie, so is acting generally - mostly just sitting around and boring dialogue. Who rates this piece of crap 6+ Give your head a shake, one of THE worst movies I have ever seen.

I saw this film at the Toronto Film Festival and it was without question, the finest film there. I hope this film gets wide theatrical release! For first time directors the Hawkins Brothers have produced a very tight film that treats the viewer with respect. The cinematography is stunning, particularly given that the film is shot in a rather bleak part of Texas. The film was intense from start to finish. Mark Pellegrino has taken the world of bad guys to a new level. He's a local for sure, but was an original. Quite frankly, all of this cast was top rate. While there are three relatively new actors involved, I expect that we shall be seeing them all down the road - and I would certainly include the directors in this statement, as well. If you get the chance, see this gem.

One day someone was listening to the Steve Miller Band's "Take the Money and Run" and thought they could make it into a feature length film. They took the character of Billy Joe and shortened it to BJ and made Bobbie Sue into two characters, Bobby and Sue. The writer then tossed these characters into a plot about stolen money and young lovers on the run. I'm ok with people wearing their influences on their sleeves but unfortunately you get more pleasure from the three or so minutes running time of Steve Miller's song than you can extract from this train wreck of a movie. The obvious joke is the film's title doubles as its review. This is bad enough that it deserves nothing more than the obvious joke.