“Bad Things” is a good quantity of enjoyable as a lo-fi slasher with a killer forged. Writer-director Stewart Thorndike’s sophomore feature, following the 2014 breakout film “Lyle,” is a queer tackle “The Shining,” centered on a abandoned motel in a sleepy snow-filled suburb. Gayle Rankin (“GLOW”) leads the movie as Ruthie, the inheritor to the Comley Suites, who additionally has a traumatic tie to the resort itself.
Ruthie and her three friends, together with girlfriend Cal (Hari Nef), gap up for a weekend getaway on the campy motel, which has been in disrepair ever since Ruthie’s grandmother died. Ruthie’s mom is someplace roaming the property, however she retains dodging each Ruthie’s texts and her hook-up handyman, Brian (Jared Abrahamson). Tensions mount as Brian lingers round and Cal waits for Ruthie to suggest, regardless of her being untrue with Fran (a scrumptious Annabelle Dexter-Jones), who’s Maddie’s (Rad Pereira) buddy with advantages.
But the primary foursome desire to give attention to the undead as an alternative of their very alive dramas: Maddie and Cal commerce tales of previous Comley Suites company, together with ’80s fashions who went out for a jog and by no means returned. “Ghosts are going to be actually good for the model,” Cal teases. It’s solely when the spirits come again to hang-out the core buddy group that it appears spirits are now not attractive.
Ruthie’s personal horrific childhood expertise at Comley is uncovered afterward: Her mom dropped her off on the closed resort throughout a snowstorm, just for Ruthie to virtually lose three of her fingers to frostbite and starve over days till she was discovered. To distract herself from her interior demons, Ruthie turns into obsessive about watching a hospitality marketing consultant, portrayed by a pitch-perfect Molly Ringwald wanting like she hasn’t aged a day because the ’80s herself. Ruthie imagines her as a surrogate mom…whereas additionally masturbating to her commanding picture.
“Unhealthy Issues” leans a bit of too strongly on “The Shining” inspiration at occasions, full with a bar scene homage. Nonetheless, the movie’s lo-fi high quality and stellar forged chemistry makes the function an simply watchable horror movie. Dexter-Jones’ deadpan supply is harking back to a sultry Wednesday Addams; coupled with Nef’s inherent lovability, the duo’s comedic timing grounds the movie, particularly whereas Rankin turns into increasingly unhinged.
“Unhealthy Issues” blunders in relation to the motion sequences, however the campiness is a part of the appeal. The movie consistently questions what’s actual or not, who’s alive and who’s lifeless, and what are ghosts or Ruthie’s personal recollections. Thorndike, who’s among IndieWire’s queer filmmakers to watch, shines greatest within the first half of the function with lingering photographs on the vacancy of each the huge hallways and Ruthie’s personal morality. It’s solely when Ruthie is wielding a chainsaw in a feral state of desperation that “Unhealthy Issues” ideas too far tonally, however “Unhealthy Issues” remains to be an excellent time.
Ranking: B+
“Unhealthy Issues” premiered on the 2023 Movie Pageant and might be launched by Shudder on Friday, August 18.