Cheap Thrills Review

Cheap Thrills (2013)

Cast: Pat Healy, Ethan Embry, Sara Paxton
Director: E.L. Katz
Country: USA
Genre: Thriller
Official Trailer: Here

Editor’s Notes: Cheap Thrills opens in limited release tomorrow, March 21st. 

Craig’s not having a very good day. Having failed to succeed as a writer, he works hard as an auto mechanic to support his wife and young child. He learns that unless he can come up with $4,500 every month, his family will be evicted from their apartment. The same day he is faced with this eviction, he is let go from his job. Heartbroken, ashamed, and unsure of how he is going to keep his family off the streets, Craig heads to the bar to mull things over.

Cheap Thrills is a deliciously dark movie that masterfully blends horror and comedy to create a portrait of two people willing to do anything to earn insane amounts of money.

There he runs into Vince, a childhood friend he hasn’t seen in years. The two talk about where their lives have taken them but are quickly interrupted by Colin and his wife Violet, a rich couple who lure Craig and Vince in with the prospect of earning a few extra bucks by taking part in a series of dares. The dares start innocently enough, ranging from taking a tequila shot to successfully getting a girl to slap them. The first to complete the dare wins a cash prize. As the night progresses, the dares become more sinister in nature and the reward for their completion increases. Craig and Vince begin to turn against each other, both dead set on taking home as much money as possible.

Cheap Thrills is a deliciously dark movie that masterfully blends horror and comedy to create a portrait of two people willing to do anything to earn insane amounts of money. Pat Healy and Ethan Embry are thoroughly convincing as Craig and Vince. Healy, last seen as a chillingly terrifying prank caller in Compliance, creates a sympathetic portrait of a man trying to keep his dark side at bay. Embry is equally effective in his portrayal of Vince, playing perfectly off Healy to create an interesting portrait of a man harboring an aggressive hatred toward Craig that becomes more apparent at the story progresses.

Koechner is too often delegated to playing the same roles, but this is a part that allows him to breathe and show more of his range. Koechner settles so perfectly into his character that it’s almost as if the part was written specifically with him in mind.

Perhaps the best casting choice in the entire film is that of David Koechner as Colin, the cocaine-snorting party boy who throws away money without a second thought. Koechner is too often delegated to playing the same roles, but this is a part that allows him to breathe and show more of his range. Koechner settles so perfectly into his character that it’s almost as if the part was written specifically with him in mind. Sarah Paxton isn’t particularly memorable in her role as the mostly silent trophy wife, but that is more of an issue with the script. Her character is purposefully underwritten and Paxton brings what she can to the role. Ultimately, she’s upstaged by her co-stars.

Cheap Thrills could have easily been a mindless torture porn flick that places gratuitous violence above an engaging story. Both Craig and Vince’s downward spirals are completely believable, a testament to the movie’s strong script. Director E.L. Katz’s feature debut holds the potential to be a big hit, even going as far as to become a cult classic. Though its violence is incredibly graphic and even stomach-churning, the scariest thing about Cheap Thrills is how successfully it shows what people are capable of when pushed to their breaking point.

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Daniel Tucker

Director of Media & Staff Film Critic

I never knew how movies could make your imagination soar until I saw "Star Wars," I never realized how inspiring they could be until I saw "Rocky," and I never truly appreciated film until I saw "Goodfellas." Film has been a central part of my life as long as I can remember and it continues to mold who I am. My " movies to watch" list is miles longer than my "movies I have watched" list. My only regret is not having enough time to watch them all.

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