Very Bad Things (1998, R)

Written and Directed by Peter Berg ("Chicago Hope")

Starring:

Christian Slater (Pump Up The Volume) as Robert Boyd

Cameron Diaz (The Last Supper) as Laura Garrety

Daniel Stern (City Slickers) as Adam Barkow

Jeanne Tripplehorn (Mickey Blue Eyes) as Lois Barkow

Jon Favreau (Swingers) as Kyle Fisher

Jeremy Piven (Grosse Pointe Blank) as Michael Berkow

Leland Orser (Alien: Resurrection) as Charles Moore

As reviewed by James Brundage

Very Bad Things marks the new level in dark comedy, the twisted and bizarre level in which nothing is sacred. To hell with PC, to hell with morals and decency and not witnessing gore: Very Bad Things shows everything. That said, don't see it on a full stomach. That said makes it a point to see Peter Berg's Very Bad Things next weekend.

Very Bad Things is the blackest black comedy since Curdled, the most intelligent since The Last Supper, and the most fun independent film to watch since Reservoir Dogs. The movie functions on three levels: one sublimely funny as we watch the world go into complete chaos around five men and their attempt to cover up the accidental death of a Las Vegas prostitute, and the not-so-accidental death of a hotel security guard. The second level is a Hitchcock-level psychological thriller that tracks everyone's descent into insanity as they all struggle to cover up the murders. Level three, ironically, is a moral message in the midst of this immoral and psychotic world: all wrongdoers are punished for their sins.

The film follows five men (Christian Slater, Daniel Stern, Jon Favreau, Jeremy Piven, and Leland Orser) on Jon Favreau's Vegas bachelor party. Christian Slater, the ringleader of the group, hires a hooker for Jon Favreau's last night of freedom and Jeremy Piven, whoops, kills her. When a hotel security guard comes up to investigate the noise, Christian Slater kills him too. They all agree to cover up the murders, bury the bodies in the desert, and act like it never happened. But, sadly, Daniel Stern has one too many morals for that.

What follows is everyone's collapse into complete insanity as they try to cover up the two murders, then try to cover up a third murder, then a fourth, fifth, sixth … well, you get the point.

The actors do their finest in the serious parts of the movie. Most notably Daniel Stern, who has always shied from serious roles, adeptly handles the only truly moral character in the movie. Also (my personal favorite of the movie), is Christian Slater, an anti-Semite psychotic who is so deeply involved with self help that just isn't working.

The film's creativity is truly shown with it's ability to make anything funny: cocaine, anti-Semitism, car crashes, murders, burial practices, minivans, wives, kids, the handicapped, the paralyzed, telethons, oral sex, and power tools, just to name a few. There's nothing this film won't -- and doesn't target. And, friends, it hits the bullseye every time.

It's not a movie for the weak of heart, the weak of stomach, or the weak of morals (don't get any ideas, folks), but it is the movie for anyone who doesn't meet those criterion. See it for the dark comedy, see it for the thrills, see it for the morals. By God, indulge yourself: see it for the Very Bad Things.