August is typically a dumping ground for films that studios invested in yet their faith in the project is minimal. Whether it’s poor test screenings or limited box office potential, August tends to be that month that studio throws the junk out there and hopes for the best.
Sometimes there are exceptions to the rule. We just celebrated the 10th anniversary of Inglourious Basterds which was released on August 21st in 2009, went on to be a box office champ and scored numerous Oscar nominations in the process. Sometimes in the trash, there is a treasure, and 2019 has given us another treasure in the form of Ready or Not. Don’t let its late August release date fool you. This film is a top-notch dark comedy the revels in its premise and represents a gory good time. On top of all of this, the film is whip-smart, and it sustains its tone for a slim 95 minutes. The film doesn’t overstay its welcome since it knows that its premise can live on minimal running time. Ready or Not is a well-oiled genre effort that is easily one of the best films of the summer and is a strong contender for one of the best films of the year so far.
Marrying into a new family is a daunting experience. It’s especially daunting for Grace (Samara Weaving) because she’s marrying into the wealthy and eccentric Le Domas family. In her soon to be husband Alex (Matt O’Brien), she has found someone in the clan who is sane and eager to break away from his offbeat family. Grace has to deal with the trials of any woman marrying into a wealthy family, especially that common saying that she may be a golddigger, but it’s evident Grace and Alex are true, and she’s in it for love.
The wedding goes off without a hitch, but there is one more task that someone newly married into the family has to endure: they have to play a game. Following the wedding ceremony, the new member of the family must draw a card and play whatever game it charges. Chess and checkers are all safe choices, but the one card the newcomer does not want to get is “Hide & Seek.” The Le Domas’ take that game seriously. They take it so seriously in fact that the “seekers” essentially become hunters and the endgame is to kill the person hiding before dawn. The family believes, due to tradition, if they don’t accomplish this feat they will all die so Grace has to do whatever it takes to stay alive and eventually go from being the hunted to the hunter.
While watching Ready or Not, I was reminded of the criminally underrated You’re Next which took the home invasion film, turned it on its head and crafted devilishly good dark comedy in the process. Ready or Not has very similar sensibilities, and much like You’re Next, co-directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett allow Ready or Not to tonally work on many levels. If you’re a horror fan, there is plenty of gore to go around although this isn’t a horror film in the classical sense. There are, of course, stalk and chase sequences due to the nature of the game but dark comedy is the name of the game here, and the film never misses a beat. The film often rides the line from taking its premise seriously enough for us to buy it and then in the next instance, it can ultimately make fun of how utterly ridiculous the whole affair is. A lot of this comes from if the fate the family believes will happen if they lose, will happen. Is his family directly off their rockers and paranoid due to years of misplaced tradition, or is there something more supernatural at hand. The movie sticks its landing because you don’t get the answer to that until the last possible moment and you’re just thankful that the film doesn’t suffer a third act collapse that can sink a movie that utilizes a promising idea to kick things off.
Credit also needs to be given to the screenwriting team of Guy Busick and Ryan Murphy for crafting a script that plays on real-life anxiety and fears. Becoming part of a new family can be overwhelming and sometimes you inherit in-laws that are offbeat or may not think too fondly of you, but this is what you might accept if you find someone you love. The film has taken a dark and over the top approach to this notion, but most of the laughs and surprisingly effective drama comes from the fact that this is a very relatable feeling. It’s not easy to jump from dark comedy, to horror and genuine emotion but Ready or Not does it like a pro.
All of the performers are top-notch, and the cast is a mix of people you know, people you think you may know, people you’ve forgotten, followed by relative unknowns. Samara Weaving, niece of Hugo Weaving, hits all the right notes in a performance that is funny, vulnerable and downright badass when it comes down to it. She bears a strong resemblance to Margot Robbie, and I’m hoping there is room for both of these leading ladies because Weaving is one to watch. Mark O’Brien is wonderfully sympathetic as Alex, and both performers deserve kudos for making us buy their affection for each other because they don’t get a lot of time to develop it. When we meet them, they’re already in love so they have to make us believe it from the start and we do.
The rest of the Le Domas family craft strong and eccentric characters, and they each get many moments to shine. Adam Brody, best known for playing nerdy Seth Cohen on The O.C., brings some his signature sarcastic humor to the role but also offers up a surprisingly multi-faceted portrayal that keeps you guessing. Melanie Scrofano and Kristian Bruun are very funny together, she as the youngest Le Domas sibling, and he is her husband. I won’t give away why their schtick works, but I’ll say they’re 100% committed. Leading the Le Domas family are vets Andie MacDowell and Henry Czerny who not only offer up some prestige, but it’s a great time watching them having a blast playing roles very unlike themselves. Lastly, Nicky Guadagni illustrates one of the creepier aunts put to the screen, but even her portrayal offers up some out of left field laughs.
Maybe Ready or Not is so surprising because it’s so unexpected. The film came in very under the radar and has already become one of the best-reviewed films of the year (currently sitting with a 92% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes as of this writing). I’m wondering if the offbeat premise can generate some heat at the box office, but if it doesn’t, we have a future cult classic in the making and it’s a game worth playing over and over again.
