Directed by Halina Reijn
Written by Sarah DeLappe, Kristen Roupenian
Starring Amandla Stenberg, Maria Bakalova, Rachel Sennott, Chase Sui Wonders
Rated R for violence, bloody images, drug use, sexual references and pervasive language.
Runtime: 95 minutes
In theaters August 5

by Victoria Potenza, Staff Writer

It is always nice to see that the classic whodunit is still alive and well, with a variety of themes and twists. It is especially relieving to see it being done with new material, while I love the classics, the Hollywood Hercule Poirot adaptations with a slew of uninteresting cast members has gotten old very quickly. Luckily we have the Rian Johnsons out there as well as Halina Reijn who gave her murder mystery the A24, new generation take on the genre. Bodies, Bodies, Bodies is a silly, neon-fueled, blood-soaked mystery that pokes fun at the new generation of privileged rich kids and puts them through hell. 

The film opens on Sophie (Amandla Stenberg) and Bee (Maria Bakalova), a new couple who are planning to join Sophie’s friends for a weekend of fun. In preparation for an oncoming hurricane, the  group of rich 20-somethings decide to host a party at one of their mansions. The friends drink, take drugs, and eventually decide to play one of their favorite games “bodies, bodies, bodies”. One person pretends to be the murderer while the others try to figure out who it is before they “kill” everyone. But when one of the friends turns up dead in the middle of the game, they begin to suspect that one of them is actually a murderer. Distrust and drama ensue as the group hunts for a murderer while airing their grievances at eachother. As suspicions grow, so does the storm and it becomes clear there is no chance of escape. 

One of the best aspects of the film is how it takes traditional whodunit tropes and injects them with its own unique style and with a 2020s lens. We get an engaging group of people that on the surface look like friends but all have secrets, drama, and problems that fuel their distrust. Anyone could be the killer and there are a variety of motivations behind them. By adding its modern flair we also see these characters try to unpack the situation and converse with buzz words like “triggering”, “gaslighting”, “toxic”, etc. While it feels like the movie could be making fun of a more “woke” generation who uses these terms to express problems and feelings that former generations could not, the film is really making fun of these characters and the amount of power and privilege they hold. For all they are given they effortlessly make problems for themselves and that is what ultimately leads to the body count. Director Halina Reijn and writers Sarah DeLappe and Kristen Roupenian manage to toe this line very well. 

The performances are a major draw to the movie. Rachel Sennott has quickly become one of my favorite up and coming actresses. Her performance in Shiva Baby was phenomenal and she was just as fun to watch in this. While these performances were starkly different, she does have a flair for playing dejected, vapid, and superficial young adults. On the other side you have Lee Pace, who has proven himself to be a tremendous screen presence who also isn’t afraid to take on some weird roles, including this one. The two of them play off each other very well as an unlikely couple. Pete Davidson also gives a very entertaining performance as the party host who instigates a variety of problems throughout the night. Amandla Stenberg and Maria Bakalova were actors I was unfamiliar with but they had a lot of chemistry and were great to watch. I think most successful slashers and whodunits give you a cast you can love/hate so that you enjoy when they are around but you aren’t too broken up when they meet their demise. Bodies, Bodies, Bodies pulled this off flawlessly. 

What I like about this film, and many other whodunits who do it well, is that it does not always matter who the murderer is. Oftentimes the characters are all so selfish and terrible that if the circumstances changed even slightly, they could each be a killer. What is important are the performances, characters, and wild drama that often ensues as they try and solve the mystery. The ultimate twist of Bodies, Bodies, Bodies is one I did not entirely see coming and because of that would probably make this a fun film to rewatch. Without giving too much away I can see plenty of people liking the turn of events and many disengaging, but I think that divisiveness in films like this can make it all the more interesting to talk about. 

If you like neon aesthetics, murder, and making fun of dumb rich kids than Bodies, Bodies, Bodies will probably be as entertaining to you as it was for me. I often appreciate the A24 brand of horror and while this one feels in line  with other films from the production company, I also think that the movie will surprise viewers. In many ways the movie feels like parties I went to when I was younger and I have not seen many films emulate the kind of silly drama that these kinds of get togethers often end in. Besides the murder aspect of course. But I think that is one reason I ended up enjoying it so much. If you like a good dark comedy that gives you a laugh with a side of murder Bodies, Bodies, Bodies might just be for you.