terminatorjenkins

(2013-04-29 21:26:48)

Just Because They Tell You It Is Supposed To Be Funny, Does Not Make It So.

The first time I saw "Very Bad Things" was the year that it wasreleased on home video. I rented the VHS at my local gas station andteenage mind was expecting the best from the dark worst of it. Billedas a dark comedy, I did not find it funny. I found it boring. However,many, many, many (more than a decade) years later I have revisited"Very Bad Things," to see if the teen critic missed anything.Verdict: still a very bad movie.The dialog is annoying along with the acting. The problem seems to befunny is replaced by loudness and yelling a lot. Everyone is constantlyyelling their lines at each other. It is hard to sit through. I am ahuge fan of dark comedies, bad comedies, morbid/ bloody humor, and justlaughing in general. However, "Very Bad Things" is just bad withoutbeing the enjoyable kind of bad to me.The premise is fun. The movie should have been fun. It's like being ina room of drunk people who are having a good time and laughing ateverything, only you're sober and all of their actions are actuallyannoying and they are just all jerks.The premise is not really capitalized on in a logical way. I'd watch aremake that fills in the holes. I mean, really, the entire movie hingeson a single incident that in reality never would have played out theway it did. Yes, truth is often stranger than fiction, but this moviedid not let me just relax and buy into the logic. Actually, I thinkstupid people in reality would make the stupid choices some of thecharacters made, even though it was ridiculously unnecessary, however,the movie did not sell me on it and was just a groaner. Hey morons,just clean up the room and get your stories straight.

revival05

(2013-04-29 03:49:21)

Strange, bizarre and crazy movie. Not for everyone, and not to be taken serious.

There aren't many tastes you need to have to like thismovie. For those who wants a comedy like ''There'sSomething About Mary'' for example better re-think. They will mostcertainly find the movie very disturbing. It's different. Moralists have an even worse problem. Thereason is obvious. Loads of gore, blood, body parts, sick violence, sex andmadness. Not for the ''finer'' movie-pickers. For those who are looking for a seriousstag-party-ends-up in-total-disaster-movie are also on the wrongtrack. With all the wicked stuff in the movie, you just can't take it seriously.For these poor souls, the entire movie is ruined, and awful. Those who liked Cameron Diaz, Daniel Stern,Christian Slater and Leland Orser singely handed for their roles in ''There'sSomething About Mary'', ''Home Alone'', ''Bed Of Roses'' and ''Saving PrivateRyan'' should watch out, cause it would be a mess to watch the movie just to seethe stars. But, lucky for me, there are also people whocan enjoy this stagparty-mess. To like this movie it's only to: Don't see thegore serious, have the right kind of wicked humour, have no problem with voilentmovies. Very Bad Things, Be prepeared for the worst and don't try it athome. No, seriously. Here is my rating:7/10 For any comments on the review above, send anE-mail to me.

orac_uk

(2013-04-21 06:04:51)

Hidden Gem

Similar in vain to Slater's 1990 classic 'Heathers', 'Very Bad Things' issuitably dark and very entertaining. Full of good performances andcompletely engaging from start to finish, one has to wonder how this filmwent by practically unnoticed back in 1998 despite a strongcast.The plot revolves around the cover-up of a prostitute's murder during a funnight away from loved ones but paranoia soon sets in amongst the 'close'friends until Slater's character takes things into his own hands to silenceother family members.Some may find a few scenes to be grisly and graphic and politicalcorrectness is all but thrown out of the window.'Very Bad Things' certainly makes a nice change from some of the recentbland offerings from Hollywood.

jasper

(2013-04-20 15:19:52)

Guilty pleasure

This film has a bit of everything, but somehow it never finds the rightdirection. It's a little horror here, a bit of comedy there, oh and there'salso sex violence gore drama action and some horrifying parts from CameronDiaz, Christian Slater and Jon Favreau. There's not a nice character formiles, and that's the main problem of the film. That makes this film almostunbearable, but towards the end the tone changes to comedy and everybody canhave a bit of a laugh. Still, this is not my idea of a pleasant evening**(out of five)

Josh

(2013-04-11 23:05:57)

Very Vicious, Violent, and Brutal Black Comedy

Peter Berg's directorial debut, Very Bad Things could have easily been ahorror film: his script is evil, disturbing, and in some scenes just alittle too much, but he manages to keep a smirk while delivering this verydark comedy.Very Bad Things is not only what it says, it's about very bad people: notone person in the entire film is redeemable. Jon Favreau stars assoon-to-be husband whose friends take him to Sin City for a raunchy, sex,drugs and alcohol filled bachelor party (as if there's any other kind). Things go bad, the prostitute is killed, and so it is decided and plannedmostly by Christian Slater the body be disposed of and the whole thingforgotten.That's when the movie really takes off, and it's powered by Slater'sfast-talking, sickly logical and self-help book reading Boyd, who can prettymuch sell anything, if not by his savvy then by force. The friends startpanciking, led by a frantic Daniel Stern. Peter Berg knows how to controlhis cast, and though the subject matter at times seems more grave thanfunny, some scenes are just too well-done to not laugh, especially when thecast turns on each other and is allowed to vent full blast.Cameron Diaz's turn as a self-absorbed control-freak is a welcome deviationfrom her generally likeable roles - she makes the character her own and isvicious, demanding, and often hilariously over-the-top. The rest of thecast does well with the material and Christian Slater is in top form as themaniacal, lowbrow, and often very funny lead in the entire debacle. While Very Bad Things certainly won't appeal to people who don't like theircomedies to depend on severed body parts for laughs, fans of black comedywill appreciate the film for the most part. Peter Berg's direction may lullat times and instead concentrate on the gore and deliver an unsatisfyingending, but any director who can get chuckles from vicious murders is good,albeit crude.7 out of 10

(2013-04-11 14:22:00)

No Better Title

Some very bad things do in fact happen in this movie. I saw this movie by accident and I am very glad I did. I will warn you that this movie has some very gruesome scenes, not just physically, but conceptually as well.The movie begins with a group of friends attending a bachelor party in a Las Vegas hotel, where the hired hooker is accidently killed. It is a rollercoaster ride from this point on beginning with the attempted cover-up. More murders/deaths and more cover ups that are beyond bizarre. Camerion Diaz is incredibly annoying (by design) and you find yourself not being sympathetic towards her character in the end.This movis is morbidly hysterical and you find youself laughing at things that you would never admit to your mother or your priest! After it was over, I had to repent.If you never see another movie, I recommend you see this one.

(2013-04-06 23:49:37)

Very funny

This video is so funny. I have to admitt some parts are pritty nasty and discusting. But it is all around a good movie. If you like comidies then you should check this film out.

Jeremy Anderson

(2013-04-06 12:18:13)

Very Sick Movie!

Several other people have said it, and it must be saidagain.This is a sick, sick movie. It is also not a great work of art. Thecharacters are pretty thin, and while the concept asa whole is good (I laughed my head off through most ofthefilm), not an awful lot new is being done with the material.I paid 8 bucks a piece for the tickets, and that may havebeena bit of a waste. As something to take home on video for anight of light, twisted entertainment, it would be justaboutright.

(2013-04-05 02:44:56)

I WOULD GIVE THIS ZERO STARS IF I COULD

This movie was exceptionally disappointing considering the cast profile. The title ultimately sums up this macabre mix of "comedy" and extreme violence - it was a Very Bad Movie. There are a few good jokes, but what few exist are violated by the unexpected brutality that the editor forgot to cut out. The sadistic mix of vile humor with ultraviolence is disturbing. What was the point? A definite no for anyone who might question what's right from what's wrong. The finale pokes brutal fun at physically disabled individuals and makes you wonder what happened to Diaz who just became the main character. Don't worry -- I can't spoil the ending because it's not good. It could have ended about three scenes earlier (walking down the isle) and maybe I would have just laughed it off instead of writing this review. Probably not, though, considering the rapid plot contrasts within the entire movie. To take a serious step back, it seems like the director took a comedy, a drama, and a hot chick threw in a few murders. This was poor judgement on both of our parts. I should have never watched it.

Tang008

(2013-04-04 12:53:26)

about as amusing as a pile of dead rats

Berg takes a genre of film making started by Tarantino, a genre thatremained alive with great flicks such as Shallow Grave and Grosse PointBlank, and then destroyed it.

mf976

(2013-03-26 21:35:17)

A thought provoking movie. No, really.

Ah, the nineties! How young and keen we were! I remember when I firstwatched this film at the cinema, I didn't find it particularlydisturbing. Violence in the movies was fun back then (thanks, Quentin).Things began to get arguable when Boyd kills Lois and Michael. But notbecause he kills them, but because it was unnecessary. And still therewas nothing wrong with the survivors. OK, it's unkind not to inform thepolice of a homicide you know of, but, hey, they got a marriage to do!That's the point, this is what the entire movie is all about. Will. Howwillful are you? Boyd says it, "This is the opportunity for a selfexploration". Actually dialogues are very revealing, don't be fooled bythe comedy, it is all there in front of you. Boyd again – "You love,and you protect what you love". Purpose. Reward. Laura – "27 years, forall of my life I've been focused only on this very day, and nothing isgonna ruin it!". Micheal – "That flash of absolute, perfect, pureenergy, that moment, that's what I'm looking for". That's how they are.The end justifies the means. Like some amateur army generalscalculating collateral. Boyd (who, being mad, is the only one whospeaks the truth) tells you – "It's a war". A war. This is a war film.The comedy? Well, this is the truly interesting bit. As for a starter,the comedy in this story is of the grotesque kind. And real life ISgrotesque. Every day. So when you encounter a grotesque movie you wellpossibly be in front of a good one. But in the present case comedy hasa way more crucial role. It is the great trick the director plays onus.Far from diminishing the gravity of the matter, comedy multiplies it,makes it flow out of the screen and fall right upon us. Comedy exertsthe function of questioning us. It had been a drama, it'd been easy totake sides, the seriousness of the setup would have warned you, thenyou'd been ready at the turning points of the story, when ethicaldilemmas are posed, to take the right stand. But since it's a comedy,you switch into "auto" and settle for a hour and spare of just plain,good fun. And there comes the ambush - bear with me now, because it's abit puzzling – when the carachters are faced with a moral dilemma, youare asked to deal with it along with them, BUT, in order to do so, you,as a spectator of a comedy, need to solve a prior moral dilemma –"Should I deal with their moral dilemma even if this means to stophaving fun? Should I judge their actions and, as I've already guessedthey're gonna do the wrong thing, loathe them for the rest of themovie, having no fun at all?" If you watched it (as I did, and did inDVD and on TV too) till the end, then your answer was "no". And,honestly, we had some issues just with the first death, the prostitute,from then on we didn't even care. There was a goal – having fun – and adownside – sympathizing with a bunch of monsters. We acceptedcollateral.If you ask me, no, it isn't as bad as burying a dead prostitute in thedesert or killing your friends. It's more like having a little taste ofhow does it feel like to be an amateur army general, decide what to getand what to loose, an experience of self exploration.I don't know whether all this was deliberate on the party of thedirector. If not, even better.Or worse.And now tell me you don't shiver.

Marion van Hoof

(2013-03-26 10:15:24)

literally overkill

Triggered by the names of Christian Slater en Cameron Diaz: they usuallystand for unconventional choices of scripts. Well unconventional it is...but totally over the top!Incredible plot, neurotic acting, irritating characters, totally missed thehumor.In short: annoying, a would-be new violence!

SpAX ArcTM

(2013-03-25 03:55:31)

All about it

Well, very awful, I say this movie was. Sometimes just wanted to knockthe hell out of them guys to shut them up! That screaming throughoutthe movie was unstoppable. As a comedy this doesn't bring much fun orsense of humor. Just that almost everybody dies. And the end of themovie... well there's no end at all. That is totally awful. Theproducer could work more on this and really check his moviescenarios;]] I would not recommend to watch it to.. almost everybody;]There are plenty of more interesting and awesome movies out there. Keeplooking!####### ######### ######### ###### ####### ####### ############## ## ###### ############ ######### ########### ##### ############## ##### ######## #### ##### SpAX

dhhope

(2013-03-24 21:59:27)

Very Bad Things Very Good Dark Comedy

Very Bad Things, Natural Born Killers, Pulp Fiction, Four Rooms, A Boyand His Dog, and The Hudsucker Proxy. I completely agree with earlierposts in that the acting is superb. I also agree IT's A MOVIE!! It isfirst and foremost a film that could be described as a morals film.Very Bad Things happen when people do Very Bad Things. Every characterreaps the rewards of their actions. Cameron Diaz, Daniel Stern andChristian Slater give world class performances! The bouncy soundtrackand quasi goofy theme song helps set the comedy background. CameronDiaz is the perfect manipulative, neurotic Bride to be. ChristianSlater the quintessential existentialist. Daniel Stern's the wrapped totight for anyone's good husband. We can be whatever we want if we putour minds to it. For that matter the entire film demonstrates thedarker traits of man.

SaintNo1

(2013-03-19 04:44:12)

Different from the Usual Hollywood Pap

Much has been written about the gore and the annoying characters in thisfilm, as well as patrons walking out of the cinema in disgust in response toit. I agree that the film is far more bloody than it probably needs to be -you're left repulsed by the actions of the bachelor party participants.However, it is funny in parts - I personally saw amusing aspects in someoneslipping in blood, falling on a coffin, going berserk at annoying childrendemanding treats, and ending your life crushed against a minivan - otherpeople didn't. I didn't find anything funny about lingering shots of thedead prostitute lying naked in a pool of blood - way too gratuitous.Carving up and burying the bodies took up to much screen time as well,slowing the momentum of the film too much.Yes, all the main characters are annoying - I wondered whether the directorwanted us to feel empathy with any of them and then realised that heprobably wanted us to loathe them all. The shrieking and histrionics of themen got on my nerves and it was a pleasure to see many of them dispatched.The ending is particularly effective - no redeemable characters and everyonegets what they deserve for their actions. Cameron Diaz does an excellent jobof portraying the horror of being trapped in an unfortunate family situationin suburbia.If you're squeamish, dislike violence, want to feel empathy for the maincharacters and like happy endings don't bother with this film. Othewise, ithas its moments and is different from the usual Hollywood pap in that itdoesn't conform to the cliched movie experience or push the usual emotionalbuttons. Probably why many people have recoiled in horror from it - thisround peg won't fit in the square hole.

anonymous

(2013-03-18 16:50:55)

Should have been called "Very Bad Movie"

This has got to be the worst movie I have ever seen. Worse than Ed or Mac &Me. The whole premise lacks even the slightest hint of intellgence. Itscreams of "we're catering to the typical violent, drug-loving, decadentgeneration, and can't make a real movie". Pathetic atbest.

(2013-03-17 07:00:24)

Darkest Comedy

This review is from: Very Bad Things (DVD) The cast, the pacing, the violence, the one liners, this movie kills. Kinda freaky paranoia themes also, I truly enjoy the fun thrill it provides. Check this out.

(2013-03-16 14:38:49)

Makes Showgirls look like Citizen Kane

This does for the movies what Mad Cow Disease did for beef consumption in the U.K. Never funny, never engaging, but very loud & irritating. Slater reprises the role he did in the far, FAR superior Heathers. I saw this for free on video & I still wanted my money back. The kindest thing to be said for this movie is that every movie seen after it is good by comparison. A Simple Plan, for example, covers the same theme but is infinitely superior. One thing that Director Berg didn't realise in VBT is that in order for this to work, the audience must be able to relate to the characters, all of whom, with the exception of Slater & Cameron Diaz (both of whose characters are essentially the same) have less personality than a potted plant. The plot holes that litter the story are large & frequent. The security gaurd, for example, would have been carrying a cellular phone, so he wouldn't have sent the characters to make the call about the dead hooker. He also would have reported to an office that he was investigating a disturbance in their hotel room. These details alone would have resulted in the characters being caught very quickly. When a horror, drama or adventure movie is bad, it often becomes an unintended comedy and therefore may gain a measure of success. When a comedy is bad, the failure is complete, and the result is a movie very much like Very Bad Things.

(2013-03-10 01:18:42)

What were they thinking???

All of those actors have such great reputations... How can they do this to themselves? I just got done watching the movie (we rented it) and I was so disgusted that I had to come straight here and warn the world

spyder7

(2013-03-09 06:39:17)

1990's version of a tragedy, with lots of violence

If you can handle a lot of violence in a movie and really want tolaugh, go ahead and see this movie. Granted, you may feel guilty inlaughing during the movie, but don't, this one is too much fun! Mostpeople that leave negative comments for this movie apparently were notprepared to handle some of the violence, both emotional and physical,that the director brings to the audience. Admittedly, if you are in thewrong mood, this movie will not work. However, if you are ready tocheck out a "1990's tragedy" with dark comedy intertwined, see it. Ifound myself getting into this movie a bit and thus enjoyed itimmensely. However, if I was in a serious mood, my impressions mighthave been much different. Enjoy but be careful.