Parents' Guide to

Bad Turn Worse

By Jeffrey Anderson, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 17+

Gritty Texas crime story has violence, language.

Movie NR 2014 92 minutes
Bad Turn Worse Poster Image

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What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

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What's the Story?

When his best friend, Bobby (Jeremy Allen White), and his girl, Sue (Mackenzie Davis), get ready to leave their small Texas town for college, B.J. (Logan Huffman) takes them out for an unforgettable night on the town, spending a wad of cash. Unbeknownst to the friends, B.J. stole the money from his cotton mill boss, Giff (Mark Pellegrino); when Giff tries to beat a confession from an innocent mill worker, Bobby assumes responsibility for the theft. The friends are then forced to pull off a heist (the mob uses the cotton mill to launder money) to pay back the debt. But, as pulp novel devotee Sue mentions early in the film, "things are not what they seem."

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: Not yet rated
Kids say: Not yet rated

Feeling like a forgotten offspring of Blood Simple and Reservoir Dogs, BAD TURN WORSE is an above average crime tale. It begins over breakfast with a discussion of biscuits and gravy and Jim Thompson novels. Then, throughout the movie, the characters sink their teeth into some spicy, curly dialogue, especially the veteran criminals. In one memorable scene, Bobby goes to the police, and the corrupt sheriff (Jon Gries) lets loose with a twisty, sinister selection of words that tells Bobby to keep his trap shut.

Brothers/co-directors Simon and Zeke Hawkins give the movie a potent small-town feel, with big skies and sun-cooked air. Everything feels lived-in -- or, more appropriately, stuck. The younger characters haven't yet learned the cynicism of the older characters. But unfortunately, a plot twist toward the end feels a bit too abrupt. It leads to a rushed conclusion and the feeling that BAD TURN WORSE is less a striking debut than just entertaining pulp.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about Bad Turn Worse's violence. How do the filmmakers use it, and how does it make you feel? How much is shown, and how much is left to the imagination?

  • Do the characters learn any lessons from their escapades or face any consequences for their actions? What do you think might have happened in this situation in real life?

  • What's the appeal of these kinds of crime stories, in which characters are tempted into trouble?

  • Is B.J. a bully? Why, or why not?

Movie Details

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