Customer Reviews

Very Bad Things [VHS]

5 star:		(84)
4 star:		(31)
3 star:		(19)
2 star:		(18)
1 star:		(59)

 

 

If you don't like dark comedy at all, you'll probably hate this movie like so many of the other reviewers. That's a shame, because Very Bad Things is just wicked, and that's what makes it great. I actually went to see this in the theater when it first came out. I was definitely shocked, and quite pleased, to see something like this as it was different than most shiny, happy people movies out there. I can't even think of another movie to liken it to. A group of guys go to Vegas for a bachelor party. Lots of drugs and partying, and a gorgeous stripper who winds up dead. It's purely an accident, and the group covers things up. Or so they think. But there's a lot of loose ends and loose cannons and the fun in this movie is watching them all get tied. Christian Slater is just wonderful and if you love him, you'll love this movie. I couldn't have been more delighted to find it for $5.50. The ending is probably the most disturbing of all, so for all those dark comedy fans, Very Bad Things is full of all the guilty pleasures that we love.

yes they have done some very bad things. great movie
shocks you, scares you, thrills you, chills you, makes you laugh all at once almost. highly recommend this one. it's different roles for each character. and they play their parts part well. I was definitely shocked after seeing this the first time thru. I shall watch it again and again. the ending is nice. the story is very twisted at times. but I think it helps the viewer think of what might happen next before they show it. I am glad I have this on dvd. a true shocking classic movie. That goes to show you that when you do "very bad things" sooner or later your conscience will eat away at you for them and you'll either beg and confess or something else. quite a shock of a movie they made. but it's worth the watch always

This one was recommended to me by my sister, and I would have liked to say that I really enjoyed, but I didn't. It starts off with the groom-to-be Kyle Fisher (Jon Favreau) leaving for Las Vegas with his four buddies (played by Leland Orser, Christian Slater, Daniel Stern, and Jeremy Piven) for a wild stag party. However, things go horribly wrong when the Asian stripper (played by Kobé Tai) is impaled, literally and metaphorically, to the wall. To cover this up, they kill the hotel security guard, then dismember and bury their remains in the desert. Even though they swear to secrecy, the problem doesn't go away, and soon they're killing more people and turning on each other.

A lot of the characters in "Very Bad Things" are very unredeemable and it's hard to feel any sympathy for them (Boyd, for one, played by Slater), save for perhaps Adam (Daniel Stern), who has an overactive conscience. And as for being a comedy--I don't think so. It's very violent. Horror fans might like this--however, being one, I wasn't expecting this; I was expecting a dark comedy. I only laughed a few times when some of the guys got what they deserved, but more than not I was grimacing. So, yeah, in a twisted way it is funny, but this isn't a movie I'd necessarily recommend, unless you're really into black, black--and I mean black--comedies. It's almost an acquired taste.

In summary: as a comedy it was bad, very bad; but as a thriller, it was good. So, the movie averages out to 3½ stars for me.

"Very Bad Things" is one of the sickest and darkest comedies ever made. It is also one of the funniest films I've seen in a very long time. The Farrelly brothers have been put to shame through the dark humor of director Peter Berg and the great cast. This can be a depressing and hard-to-watch film at times, but it is absolutely hilarious. Cameron Diaz hilariously does a total turn-around from her sunny, happy roles in films such as "There's Something About Mary" as a bride who will do anything - even kill - to get married. Christian Slater pretty much reprises his character from "Heathers" as the orchestrator of all the mayhem that ensues after the accidental killing of a hooker. The film is a sick and hilarious romp from beginning to end. I loved it.

Let me preface my review by saying that "Very Bad Things" is not for everybody. It was the first movie I'd ever seen where people walked out of the cinema within the first half hour. Possibly just after the scene with the stripper in the bathroom...
Let me begin my review by saying that I love this movie. It slaps us in the face with several themes we'd really rather not think about and forces us to for an opinion on situations we'll hopefully never have to encounter. In many ways the movie resembles "Kill Bill vol. 1." in that the totally over-the-top nature of the violence renders it cartoon-like and therefore meaningless. Pretend that this is set in an alternate universe if it makes you feel better...
The central theme explored in the movie is "Karma", the concept that what goes around comes around. The guys go to Vegas for a bachelor party that goes horribly wrong, and they all end up paying for it in different ways. Comparisons have been drawn between this movie and "Shallow Grave", but I'd also say that "Stag" and "Deliverance" are also valid reference points. Cameron Diaz plays the same character she does in "A life less ordinary", while Jon Favreau revisits "Mikey" from Swingers.
The movie is shockingly brutal in it's portrayal of the limits people will go to in order to lead a quiet life, and while the end of the movie does take on a somewhat farcical tone, it is ultimately nice to see the wheel of karma spin right round.
If you like black comedies, Vegas and Deliverance, you'll love Very Bad Things.

If you watch this movie at a very shallow level, only looking at the gory scenes and the unfortunate outcomes, then yes, it's a horrible movie. But seasoned movie watchers who know how to go deeper and see beyond the ugly surface will find this to be a very interesting and well-made movie. It is a portrayal of how extreme circumstances, fear and guilt can make ordinary people do things that are totally out of the ordinary, how one small mistake can eventually culminate into devastating the lives of so many - it's like watching an entire mountain burn down from one little cigarette. Some hate it. I respect that. But I LOVE it.

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.

By reading the movies discription you should somewhat know what you are getting into. It is hard to find this movie listed anywhere without the word Dark in front of Comedy. Dark generally means that some unpleasant material is covered by the movie. Within this movie genre you also have Grosse Pointe Blank which is a goofy comedy that should hardly be construed as dark and About Schmidt which has virtually no comedic value but is dark. This isn't a laugh a minute comedy, most dark comedies aren't. It is a story that starts out somewhat serious and plausible and is meant to be funny by the shear absurdity of the remaining events. This has violence, gore and some disturbing moments. If you watch this movie with the idea that it IS a movie and is meant to be a fun take on a very serious situation. The cast is great and portray great characters. Cameron Diaz is great as the crazed bride determined to have the perfect wedding. It is an over the top depiction of the bride-to-be who HAS to have her wedding and will not have it ruined for any reason, but it is funny from that standpoint. Watch it more than once because the second time around you'll be more numb to the shock of some of the scenes and be able to enjoy the parts that are supposed to be funny instead of dwelling on the Very Bad Things.

As my brother stated it to be:"black humor" but since that seems to be a little politicly incorrect I call it very twisted and may I add funnny sense of humor. They killed 2 people. But Boyd went raving mad and knocked other people away as well. The way the script allowed itself to knock away main characers like flys was amazing. Top rating!

It would seem that in Australia we have more relaxed censorship laws. I was sixteen when I saw this movie and loved it. And I was not alone. There is a very large teenage market for black comedies (American teens are deprived). Some sexy women can act, and Diaz is one of the best. This is not to detract from the rest of the cast, there is nothing but good things in this movie. My only criticism is that the ending could have used some extra thought. Other than that it is so funny, so original, and so deserves four stars.