A Bad Idea Gone Wrong Review is a 2017 comedy about two would-be thieves who forge a surprising relationship with an unexpected housesitter when they accidentally trap themselves in a house they just broke into.
There’s always been a kind of accepted pleasure in seeing the rich get their comeuppance in movies, as if they somehow deserve to be violated in some sense. Plenty of movies have taken both satirical and visceral aim at them as the division between these classes grow wider every day, and now comes Jason Headley‘s new Indie comedy, A Bad Idea Gone Wrong, an often very funny little gem that starts out like it will join the fray before becoming something altogether different.
Marlon (Matt Jones) and Leo (Will Rogers) are a couple of slacker pals not quite living the life of luxury, thinking the solution is to exact some revenge of sorts on the 1-percenters by turning to a life of crime. Marlon’s content to hold up the diner they’re sitting in, à la Pulp Fiction, but Leo has another idea, robbing a mansion in a gated community. Leo knows how to get in, he says, and so they make their way there, aiming to nab a few very specific things. Inside though, they get a couple of surprises. First, Marlon actually arms the alarm, which hadn’t been set, but more disturbing, they find a girl sleeping in the guest room. She’s Darcy (Eleanore Pienta), and she’s not what she seems. Nor is the reason why Leo chose this particular house. The problem now is, how do they get out?
To say any more would be to spoil what amounts to be a refreshingly goofy and yet well written tale of three off balance people ensnared in a nest of problems they made for themselves. What makes this work is the staginess of it, feeling like a film adaptation of a one-set play. What motivates Leo is crucial to the story, which I won’t reveal, but becomes central to everything, as it is the catalyst for much of what moves all three characters. What’s even better is how well Headley – who also wrote the screenplay – keeps it in play throughout, spinning plates with bits of convincing physical comedy and very smart dialogue.
Jones and Rogers have great chemistry, their deadpan approach perfectly balanced with the natural tension of the plot, like a Shane Black comedy without the jarring violence. Jones in particular, who is a best known for his many roles on television, is fun to watch, his asides on their predicament funny and always on target. He’s a guy pissed off at the state of the uber rich but lacks the motivation to really do much about it. He’s well-educated, or at least an erudite, but wants an easy way into fortune, every day hoping to win a daily radio call-in trivia contest. I really liked Pienta as well, who has a strong Marion Cotillard vibe about her. She’s disarmingly charming.
A Bad Idea Gone Wrong is lightweight of course, and even at 85 minutes runs a little long, however, it all clicks with great energy and plenty of sharp humor. If you’re looking for a character-driven story without all the mayhem of so many modern capers, this is a sure bet, guaranteed to get some laughs. Highly recommended.