“Let her have her podcast!”
Dripping with Gen Z satire, queer energy, and a whole lot of bloody murder, Halina Reijn’s Bodies Bodies Bodies is sure to become a cult classic.
Starring a phenomenal cast including Amandla Stenberg, Maria Bakalova, Pete Davidson, Rachel Sennott, and more, the film provides audiences with incredible dialogue and searing dark humor. The well-known murder mysteries of Clue and Knives Out had a baby with the legendary film Mean Girls, and the love child is just as iconic as one would expect.
First and foremost, Bodies Bodies Bodies has the most gay-centric, gloriously hyperpop soundtrack to ever grace a movie. Music artists beloved by the queer community, including Slayyyter, Alice Longyu Gao, Shygirl, and Charli XCX, are featured throughout the film in delicious ways. It felt incredible to hear a rather niche genre of music get its chance to shine on the big screen.
While the first death of the movie felt a little underwhelming, the rest of the kills are remarkably exciting and thrilling. The order in which the characters die feels a bit predictable, but the pacing and structure of the whodunnit mystery manages to leave audiences entertained at every turn.
The film executes two things perfectly: its casting and its script. The entire cast gives an impeccable performance, and every single character felt necessary and relevant to the plot. All of the actors are supplied with fantastic material to work with, no matter how long they remain physically alive for. The script is astounding, and its satirical moments are spot on in encapsulating what it’s like to be part of Gen Z culture. During the film, one will even have the opportunity to witness someone’s groundbreaking discovery that they were not actually born poor! They were unfortunately born into an upper middle-class family! How sad for them. The comedic elements are delivered flawlessly.
The star of the film is 100% Rachel Sennott. Everyone gives a stellar performance, but Sennott is a scene stealer through and through. Her character Alice, otherwise known as “The Influencer,” has some of the best one-liners. She is an annoyingly wonderful character who is able to bounce off of everyone else’s dialogue in a unique and humorous way. Out of all the satirical Gen Z influencer characters that Hollywood has created over the past few years, Sennott probably portrays the most realistic, accurate, and entertaining depiction of that archetype. She shares one scene with Myha’la Herrold that is truly breathtaking, forming one of the best scenes of the entire film.
Other standouts include Amandla Stenberg as Sophie, “The Wild Card,” Maria Bakalova as Bee, “The New Girl,” and Lee Pace as Greg, “The Himbo.” Stenberg and Bakalova have amazing chemistry from the second the film beings, and both of them play key roles in steering the movie away from being too silly or stupid in times where it could be. Lee Pace plays a wildly likable character in Bodies Bodies Bodies, portraying Gen Z’s favorite male archetype, the himbo, as the ultimate golden retriever boyfriend. Pace’s wackiness somehow works in a film riddled with blood and violence, and it’s surprising how much one will end up enjoying his character.
Pete Davidson is good in Bodies Bodies Bodies, but it’s potentially important to note that he’s just basically playing a version of himself from Saturday Night Live. David, otherwise known as “The Red Flag,” is the toxic gaslighter of the group. He embodies a “Chad”-type character, constantly belittling his girlfriend played by Chase Sui Wonders. The dynamic between Davidson, Wonders, and Pace is fascinating to watch and makes for some interesting scenarios later on in the film.
A good whodunnit cannot be complete without a good ending, and Bodies Bodies Bodies finishes incredibly strong. The twists and turns are a joyride, and they all work really well in tying the whole film together as a societal commentary. It doesn’t feel too overdone or on the nose, which is a tight line to walk, and the film remains consistently self-aware in everything it tries to accomplish within its 95-minute runtime.
If you’re looking for something gay and slay, Bodies Bodies Bodies is the one to play! With laugh-out-loud moments, some fun visuals, and the best aspects of campy horror, watch this film on the biggest screen you can find.
★ ★ ★ ★ 1/2
A24’s Bodies Bodies Bodies is now available to watch in select theaters.
