LET THE BAD TIMES ROLL

FILM REVIEW Bad Times at the El Royale

Chris Knight

Here’s one of those movies where no one is what they seem. By the end of it, I wasn’t even sure about myself any more. And I clearly don’t know writer/director Drew Goddard, whose last screenplay was for the straight-up survival story The Martian, and who last directed the delightfully bonkers 2012 horror-comedy The Cabin in the Woods. Underestimate him at your peril.

The El Royale — Spanish speakers will know the “El” is superfluous — is a hotel straddling the California/ Nevada border, and is based on an actual property once owned by Frank Sinatra, and with the more logical name of Cal-neva.

The first major scene, a wonderfully shaggy-dog introduction that presages the two-hours-plus running time, introduces Jon Hamm as a vacuum cleaner salesman with a bad southern accent; Cynthia Erivo as a lounge singer on her way to a gig; Jeff Bridges as a doddering priest; and Lewis Pullman as the lodge’s overworked sole employee.

They will eventually be joined by Dakota Johnson, who drives up with Cailee Spaeny in her trunk and Chris Hemsworth on her tail. This fulfils the rule of seven, an ancient storytelling maxim that can be found in everything from Snow White to Gilligan’s Island to the Magnificent Seven.

It wouldn’t do to reveal too much of what transpires among these characters, except to note that the very first scene shows Nick Offerman hiding something beneath the floorboards of one of the rooms. It’s also worth pointing out that as Miles the desk clerk, Pullman (son of Bill) gives off a distinct offseason Bates Motel vibe.

Otherwise, your best bet is just to let the bad times roll. There’s great pleasure to be found in watching an old pro like Bridges chew the scenery, even more in listening to Britain’s Erivo belt out sad songs to her mirror. And while I’m sure the film is not perfect in all matters technical, I was tickled to note that when a storm hits, the thunder and lightning are not synched up as in so many films. As with any hotel stay, the little touches matter.

Bad Times at the El Royale opens across Canada on Oct. 12.