Cheap Thrills (2013)

Dir: E.L. Katz

Craig (Pat THE INNKEEPERS Healy) is a man down on his luck. His wife and him recently had a baby, they are months behind on the apartment rent and facing eviction and he just lost his job at an oil change shop. Finishing up his beer at a bar, while trying to work up the courage to go home and tell his wife, in walks an old buddy who he hasn't seen in years, Vince (Ethan VACANCY Embry). Vince convinces Craig to stick around for another beer so that the two can catch up. Craig has moved on from their wild past by marrying and becoming a father but Vince continues living their rebellious past by working as muscle for a loan shark.

Into the bar walks Colin (David PIRANHA 3DD Koechner) and his wife Violet (Sara THE INNKEEPERS Paxton). Colin is a coke snortin' loudmouth looking for some company as it is his young wife's birthday. Seizing an opportunity for free drinks, Vince makes nice and talks Colin into staying as well. Colin is very free with his money and quickly coaxes Craig and Vince into competing for cash prizes. The bets start out small, who can drink a shot of tequila the quickest or who has the balls to slap a woman's ass but escalate as the group moves from the bar to a strip club to Colin and Violet's luxurious home. Consumed by greed both Craig and Vince start to turn on one another in order to win the bet.

CHEAP THRILLS is a well made, disturbingly entertaining film. The characters are believable and well drawn. As we watch Craig and Vince's descent into madness and degradation the true scope of Colin and Violet's personalities are revealed to us. My only quibble is that there are what I thought to be hints as to the final outcome of the night of debauchery but that plot thread never reaches a conclusion. I'm curious if it was removed to give the film as happy of an ending as it could possibly have had.

*** out of ****