katrinaolson.ca - A Bad Idea Gone Wrong (Calgary Film 2017)

Posted on Thursday, September 28, 2017 at 10:00 AM

A Bad Idea Gone Wrong (Calgary Film 2017)

Review by Katrina Olson-Mottahed x CalgaryMovies.com

A KO Review by Emily Mody

A Bad Idea Gone Wrong is an American feature length narrative film directed by Jason Headley. The film follows Marlon (played by Matt Jones) and Leo (played by Will Rogers), two good friends, who forge a scheme to burglarize a wealthy couple’s home. A surprising twist of fate and an unexpected house sitter (played by Eleanore Pienta) forces Marlon and Leo to establish a new plan.

I would like to start this review by clearly stating that I typically do not like romantic comedies. When I went into A Bad Idea Gone Wrong I knew there were aspects of it that were potentially going to belong to the rom-com genre. In this case, however, it is categorized as a comedy and it seemed indie so I figured why not give it a try. There were definitely elements of A Bad Idea Gone Wrong that I enjoyed, particularly the story arch with Leo’s character but overall I felt the whole film was pretty forgettable. As a comedy, I just felt that it was not that funny. To me, it seemed more like a romantic comedy or just a feel good film. I think the majority of the problems I had with this film stemmed from the writing. The actors do a very good job with what they have been given. As I said, I feel that Leo was written pretty well. He definitely had some sincere moments that built up his character development but unfortunately it is not enough for me to want to recommend this film.

A Bad Idea Gone Wrong is somewhat similar to Little Miss Sunshine directed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris in tone and style. Little Miss Sunshine follows a family as they travel cross-country in their VW bus. They are trying to get their young daughter into a beauty pageant and in the process they grow closer together and learn more about each other. Both films share an indie vibe that demonstrates a more realistic and sincere portrayal of the characters. I have to say though; I enjoyed Little Miss Sunshine so much more. The story and characters are so much stronger and richer than they are in A Bad Idea Gone Wrong.

Overall, I would have to say that I would not recommend A Bad Idea Gone Wrong. Although there were elements that I enjoyed, it was not enough for me to recommend this film overall. If you are interested in checking out A Bad Idea Gone Wrong, despite what I say about it here, it is important to note that it contains language, sexually explicit content, drug references, and crime. The total run time is eighty-five minutes.

A Bad Idea Gone Wrong is screening as a part of the 18th Calgary International Film Festival 2017. It will be playing on Friday, September 29th at 10:15pm and Saturday, September 30th at 6:30pm both at Cineplex Eau Claire.

Calgary Showtimes: A Bad Idea Gone Wrong >