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Bingo Hell
By Brian Costello,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Thoughtful horror-comedy has blood, gore, language.
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Bingo Hell
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What's the Story?
In BINGO HELL, Lupita (Adriana Barraza) is the matriarch of Oak Springs, a diverse community that's experiencing rapid gentrification. Disgusted by all the new coffeeshops and craft beer bars moving in, she finds solace in going to the local community center to play bingo with other local senior citizens who are also grappling with the changes, including her best friend Dolores (L. Scott Caldwell). As she wonders about the sudden disappearance of their neighbor Mario, Lupita notices a fancy old car parked outside with a personalized license plate that reads "BIG WINN3R." The next day, Lupita wakes up to find a flier taped to her door announcing the grand opening of "Mr. Big$ Bingo," located in the exact address as her beloved community center. That night, community residents of all ages show up at the refurbished building, now looking more like a casino than a community center. Inside, the residents meet "Mr. Big," who promises huge prizes to those eager to play bingo, because "everybody deserves to win." That night, the self centered daughter-in-law of Dolores' late son wins $10,000, and splits town the very next morning, leaving Dolores to take care of her teen grandson Caleb. Mario remains missing, and Lupita is growing increasingly suspicious about Mr. Big, even if everyone around her is seemingly seduced by the idea of winning large cash prizes at bingo. Soon, Lupita's suspicions about Mario are confirmed, and she must find a way to convince her neighbors that there's something truly sinister about Mr. Big.
Is It Any Good?
This is an engaging horror-comedy that's as entertaining as it is thoughtful. Bingo Hell shows that with a strong story, something deeper to communicate, and excellent acting, a movie's relatively low budget means nothing. (If only other horror moviemakers would take note of this.) Centered primarily on fully-developed and diverse senior citizen characters who are trying to make sense of the gentrification rapidly taking over their once gritty but tightknit community, Bingo Hell makes pointed commentary on accepting change, gentrification, greed, and addiction, among other things. Led by feisty abuela Lupita, these seniors, while certainly prone to being cranky and cantankerous, aren't the helpless, doddering stereotypes often conveyed in movies and TV, and it's refreshing to see seniors take the lead roles in a horror movie as opposed to the twentysomethings playing teenagers that are such a standard of typical horror fare.
Yes, there's a decent amount of blood, gore, and gross-out moments, as this is a horror movie, after all, but unlike so many other horror movies, it isn't used as a way to supersede weak story or overwhelm everything else going on. The story comes first. But not only that, the characters also matter, and they're not mere fodder for bloody death. It's funny without being smug, bloody without being gory, thoughtful without being preachy. It's probably not for all horror movie fans, but Bingo Hell does offer as much brain and heart as it does blood and guts.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the diversity in Bingo Hell. How are different ages, races, and ethnicities represented in this movie? How does the movie steer clear of the stereotypes that come up so often in horror movies?
What are some of the serious topics that the movie addresses? Was the movie effective in addressing these issues? Why or why not?
How does the violence compare with the violence in other horror movies you've seen?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming: October 1, 2021
- Cast: Richard Brake , L. Scott Caldwell , Bertila Damas
- Director: Gigi Saul Guerrero
- Inclusion Information: Female directors, Latino directors, Black actors, Latino actors
- Studio: Amazon Studios
- Genre: Horror
- Topics: Friendship , Monsters, Ghosts, and Vampires
- Run time: 85 minutes
- MPAA rating: NR
- Last updated: February 28, 2022
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