"How far would you go for the thing you care about most?" is an extremely common theme. It fueled the entire plot of Breaking Bad, it was pretty much the tagline of the last Star Trek movie. Hell, it's even the basis for the screenplay i've been writing for the past 6 years. However, in Cheap Thrills, never has that phrase ever been so much fun.
Craig Daniels is a down on his luck writer who is fired from his auto mechanic job and receives an eviction notice on the same day. He heads to a bar where he catches up with his high school friend Vince. When he returns from the bathroom, they join a wealthy couple, Colin and Violet, who are out on the town for Violet's birthday. They begin completing a series of simple dares for money, but as the night goes on, the tasks grow darker, the stakes get higher, and an old friendship begins to crack.
I literally just finished watching, so before I continue, give me a second to say: HOLY SHIT.
This is easily one of the most intense and uneasy movies I have ever seen. That being said, Viewer Discretion Advised. It is an insanely dark movie which pushes the limits, yet the characterization is brilliant. Each of the four main players has a fully fleshed out personality, which keeps the movie going, yet unpredictable. And the humor, as dark as it may be, is transcendent and exquisite.
It has an almost Shakespearian plot structure. The main character is thrust through the worst day of his life, which destroys almost all of his moral fibers, causes him to betray one of his best friends, and dance to the tune of two wealthy individuals who merely seek entertainment at the expense of others. There's not a single moment where you should know what is going to happen next, there are twists at every turn, and when we reach the conclusion it is so rich and rewarding. But what separates this from the boredom of Shakespeare is how viscerally real absolutely everything feels.
Pat Healy is absolutely brilliant in his role of Craig. I would almost go as far to compare him to Bryan Cranston. He takes this character from a place of somewhat depression to the darkest places imaginable. He exhibits a wide array of character development with a 90 minute span, and underplays his characters darker nature to create a protagonist we surely root for, but at the end, question why we did.
Ethan Embry is equally magnificent as Vince. On the surface, his character is not as well to do as Craig. However, as time goes on, we see the poetic nature of his reasoning. His character is a good man at the center, but the rough exterior that Embry establishes is a natural shell for someone of his type.
I have always enjoyed the work of David Koechner. But this is easily his finest performance to date. His role as the sociopathic rich man who funds the entire adventure is an essential component to the film. He so richly tones down his normal personality to someone who is quietly calculating his next moves for his acquired puppets. He's almost maniacal, but it's understated masterfully.
Sara Paxton is the quietest of the cast, but also one of the most dangerous. Behind her cell phone poised exterior, lies the brain of a mastermind. It's clear that her Violet is pulling as many of the strings as Koechner's Colin. But she is very dangerous because is she is not nearly as open as he is. It's an excellent femme fatale.
Cheap Thrills is by far the best movie I've seen so far this year. It's hard to watch at times, but it has top notch acting and storytelling throughout. It's in theaters now, and also available on Demand or iTunes.
A
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