Hey gang, Valkor here. Having a roommate in your life can either
be a wonderful, bonding experience, very awkward or a pretty disastrous
one. That leads us into this next film review – Bad Roomies, which
doesn’t sound good for our players, but for us the viewers… we’re
in for one entertaining experience.
Bad Roomies center on best buddies Ray (Tom Savas) and Bobby (Patrick Renna), who just lost a roommate and are in need of a 3rd to help with things financially. After (hysterically) going through possible candidates, they settle on Chloe (Annie Monroe), who is just all kinds of attractive - and the two are instantly attracted to her. Things start out OK in the beginning though they're butting heads and obvious sexual tension building. However it comes to a crest when one night, Chloe is hosting a party and in the trios drunken state, she coaxes the buddies into a threesome. So you know that’s not going to go over well the next day, especially since Bobby has a girlfriend named Jennifer (Jackie Tohn) plus Ray seems to be crushing hard on Chloe, who lets him know upfront that she isn’t ready for any commitment. And if you think things are gonna start calming down after their tryst, then you are in for one hell of a ride! Things get so bad and so petty that Bobby and Ray ultimately want Chloe out of their house and out of their lives for good! And what happens next is definitely not what you would expect… hell, I didn’t even see that shit coming! It's crazy and it's funny all at the same time.
Bad Roomies, which is director's Jason Schnell's first-time feature film outing, answers the age-old question: Can two dudes share a house with a female roommate, without driving each other crazy? This film takes “The Odd Couple” to a whole new level of comedy and I’ll tell you all about it in the TOV Breakdown.
The Good:
Bad Roomies is a dark comedy that’s definitely more comedy than it is dark – that’s not to say it’s lighthearted fun, but ultimately it is a whole lotta fun. And if you can get me laughing within the first few minutes then I’m sold! The story is perfection from beginning to end and it teaches us, to paraphrase a quote from one of the characters in the film, that “we shouldn’t let crazy in”. And at the same time, while the characters are letting in crazy, you're getting sucked into their world that’s spiraling out of control, all the while it's keeping you guessing as to what will happen next. And that twist ending is something I really didn’t expect. The jokes were all on point and well balanced with the drama - even when it hit into the truly dark areas, you just can’t help but chuckle. The trio of Tom, Patrick and Annie (Ray, Bobby, and Chloe respectively) put on such strong and captivating performances that fully pulls you into their disheveled world and doesn't let go until the credits. Plus having good chemistry also helps, which it shows - everyone worked so well together and looked to be having a wonderful experience. I had a great time with “Bad Roomies” and it will rank high as one of my favorites this year.
The Bad:
My only negative would be the very beginning - I think it could have been cut out because you know “something” is going to happen to someone. But I feel it would have been even more of a surprise had that opening not been there.
The Ugly:
N/A
Bad Roomies is available now on Digital Video On Demand (iTunes, Amazon Instant, etc) and if you’re looking for a dark comedy that’s a lot of fun and it’ll keep you guessing, then this is the one you can’t miss. I highly recommend checking it out. And out of TOV 5 stars, I’m giving Bad Rooms a 4.5.
