Director Halina Reijn (Instinct) makes her English-language film debut with the sharp new whodunnit, Bodies Bodies Bodies. A gnarly investigative thriller that has fun ridiculing its audience. With the help of a superb script and dynamic cast, the film succeeds in generating paranoia and, as a result, exceeded my initial expectations. 

Despite a hurricane heading their way, an unlikable group of nihilistic rich kids get together at their friend David’s (Pete Davidson, The King of Staten Island) mansion to throw a party. Bee (Maria Bakalova, Borat Subsequent Moviefilm) is feeling a bit awkward and fearful of the entitlement cesspool her new girlfriend Sophie (Amandla Stenberg, The Hate U Give) is throwing her into. Vapid podcaster Alice (Rachel Sennott, Shiva Baby), competitive pot stirrer Jordan (Myha'la Herrold, Industry) and David’s girlfriend, emotionally suppressed actress Emma (Chase Sui Wonders, Generation), circle Bee like sharks. Then, slightly out of place, is Alice’s 40 year old boyfriend Greg (Lee Pace, Pushing Daisies) who is looking to recapture some of his youth. 

As the storm brews, petty grudges begin to surface. To ease the tension, Sophie suggest they play Bodies Bodies Bodies, a murder mystery game similar Werewolf or Mafia. The game in turn heightens the posse’s emotional unease and the friends begin to lash out at one another. The power goes out as the storm begins to rage and bodies start falling one by one. It is now more crucial than ever to uncover the murderer.

Acclaimed playwright Sarah DeLappe’s (Cat Person) silver screen debut is whip smart. Her ability to craft engaging and sharp dialogue helps flesh out these insufferable characters while making them still likable enough to watch for 95 minutes. DeLappe understands the culture and precisely nails the way narcissists have learned to weaponize mental health and social justice language to talk about themselves nonstop with utter disregard for anyone else. Taking a huge risk in making fun of its own audience, the dialogue is never too on the nose or condescending. It plays more sardonically in the story that is less reminiscent of Clue and more like if the plastics of Mean Girls were dropped into Lord of The Flies. 

Reijn utilizes her cast and makes it a collaborative effort to improvise and have fun. This playful nature helps the tension ebb and flow, giving the audience a little respite between each death. Huge thanks to the casting department, Kim Ostroy (Passing) and Tracy Kaczorowski (The Girl from Plainville), for crafting such a sensational ensemble cast. The chemistry is electric, as if they were born to collaborate together. For audience members who are less in tune with the character’s wavelength, it’ll be some work to put up with them though.

The clear standout of the film is Rachel Sennott. Her impeccable delivery lends to a truly arresting performance. Sennott knows how to make the audience laugh at how insufferable her character is, like when Bee is talking about her mom having borderline personality disorder and interrupts to say, “Mental health is a really serious issue. I mean I’ve never actually said this to anyone, but I have body dysmorphia.” This kind of comedy is utterly hysterical and I can see the potential for her to be a generationally known scream queen. Amandla Stenberg is another scene stealer. She exceeds in the way she continually victimizes herself and pushes to be the center of attention. 

The creators are delicately precise with attention to detail, creating an environment that feels current. The references, the costumes, and killer soundtrack (pun intended here), featuring controversial female artists Slayyyter, Azelia Banks, Charli XCX, all lend to capturing a campy authenticity. I do wish Jasper Wolf’s (Instinct) camera work was more engaging. Many shots were so hard to distinguish what was going on and the mansion was under utilized; this grand backdrop should have felt like another character to the story and less like an instinct maze. 

Regardless, Bodies Bodies Bodies is a bloody fun ride that keeps the audience guessing until the literal bitter end. Halina Reijn and Sarah DeLappe craft a satirical girlboss horror that pokes fun at itself in a silly, boarding on meta, way. It doesn’t reinvent the genre, but the film is hilarious as it is brutal and insanely fresh for Gen-z audiences. It’s a great film to go out and see with a group of friends in a packed theater as the summer rolls to an end.

Acting and Casting - 2 | Visual Effects and Editing - 1 | Story and Message - 2 | Entertainment Value - 2 | Music Score and Soundtrack - 2 | Reviewer's Preference - 1 | What does this mean?