Fest Track On Sirk TV Film Review: BINGO HELL [Fantastic Fest 2021 - Virtual]

The essence of progress can be mired in ideals, retribution or even a bingo game. In "Bingo Hell", writer/director Gigi Saul Guerrero tries to mix a cocktail of inclusive performances, subtext of gentrification and the essence of growing old (but not weak) with the horror genre. It is an interesting but uneven venture that sometimes hits the mark but more often than not goes for fairly broad strokes. The film is part of a new initiative of Blumhouse Television who will be releasing this through Amazon. Adriana Barraza (as Lupita), most recently seen as the mother in "Penny Dreadful: City Of Angels", gets to work her comedic sensibilities as the mama bear in a way that saved her town of Oak Springs from falling to drug lords. But now hipsters are moving in but she just wants it to stay as a it is. Lupita is headstrong but also right in so many ways. Her claim to fame that connect her and her older friends is her local bingo game...until a new sheriff comes to town.

Richard Brake, always interesting depending how far he is allowed to mug, almost plays it too extreme and comical but that might be the point. Yet he does have to do it in certain tones so it s not too frightening. There can be similarities in a more soapy way to Jack Nicholson in "The Witches Of Eastwick". Brake's character sees himself as a mirror of Lupita in a certain way. The tonal shift is fairly simple, the characterization of the locals is effective but save for the opening salvo, there is not much dread. The film, in many ways, (and this may be on purpose) plays at times like an after-school special. The viewer knows things are askew or bad because the lights go dark or the neon comes on. The story ultimately is a morality tale that speaks to people's weaknesses or dreams and their ability to either overcome or not overcome them. "Bingo Hell" does move between certain aspects of beauty and contentment with a mirror of gore which is interesting but only goes far enough once with an actual mirror scene of a character looking for something more but shirking her responsibilities in the process. "Bingo Hell" is what it is but, despite an adequate story and a bit of comedic and horror mix , it merely comes off as Ok. C

By Tim Wassberg