Bad Times at the El Royale

If you want a crime drama that treats its mystery as more than a puzzle, Bad Times at the El Royale is available in Australia on Disney Plus, and in the UK on Disney Plus right now. It knows exactly what kind of film it is from the opening scene, and never loses that thread. 3,903 people have weighed in on TMDB, and the verdict leans heavily positive. Watch Jeff Bridges work — the performance is a masterclass in restraint. Available now on Disney Plus — press play and find out why people keep recommending it.

Whatever else is competing for your attention this week, Bad Times at the El Royale is worth clearing space for. The plotting gives Bad Times at the El Royale its backbone, but it is the characters you come back for. Lake Tahoe, 1969. Seven strangers, each one with a secret to bury, meet at El Royale, a decadent motel with a dark past. In the course of a fateful night, everyone will have one last shot at redemption. Jeff Bridges and Cynthia Erivo lead a cast that gives the tension real weight. It was released in 2018. What makes Bad Times at the El Royale hold up is that the resolution matters less than how the characters get there. There is real craft here, even in the moments that do not fully land.

Crime and mystery fans will find exactly what they are after in Bad Times at the El Royale. It has built its own audience without needing a direct comparison. The complete film is available and best experienced without too much prior knowledge of where it goes. Watch Jeff Bridges work — it is a masterclass in the genre. Few crime dramas earn their twists this consistently.