All Night Wrong

In the 1980’s screenwriters had to contrive ways to ways to get mismatched couples together for “night from Hell” movies like After Hours and Into the Night. These days, it is an easy matter of a little swiping on an app. For Gary Clark (not the Blues musician) meeting Ell will be the only easy thing he does all night. Their quick hook-up turns into a mad dash for survival in Jason James’ All Night Wrong, which releases today in theaters and on-demand.

Since Clark and Ell almost immediately decide neither is a serial killer, they waste little time booking a no-tell-motel. They should have shopped around more. As fate would have it, Burke, a hardened criminal, just murdered the manager. When the couple shows up for their room, he assumes the late Toby’s identity, rudely demanding cash to get rid of them. Instead, they “borrow” Toby’s car, thinking it is Burke’s, to drive to the nearest ATM.

This was a big mistake, for many reasons, starting with the awkward fact that the real Toby’s body is stashed in the trunk, along with a bag full of cash. When they return to the motel, they discover the body, but not before completely incriminating themselves. Panicking, they start scheming to dispose of the body, while Burke chases after them and the money.

All Night Wrong is small film, but it works relatively nicely, thanks to the chemistry that develops between Zach Chery and Maria Bakalova. There is often a sad clown poignancy to Cherry’s portrayal of Clark’s insecurity and resentment. Whereas, Ell frankly might represent the most charismatic and energetic work of Bakalova’s career. Their comic timing is competent, but their best scenes together are those involving their dramatic confessions. Plus, Tyler Labine’s Burke is a memorably gritty and gristly villain.

James keeps the pacing punchy, so in many ways, All Night Wrong feels like a throwback to late 1990s indie thriller-comedies, but that is not necessarily a bad thing. It is a dark film, but the co-leads are appealingly earnest. Recommended for free or low-cost streaming, All Night Wrong release today (8/14) in theaters and on VOD.