Film Review

Bingo Hell (2021) • Amazon [Welcome to the Blumhouse]

A middle-aged woman goes to battle against the neighbourhood bingo hall’s sinister new owner.

Dripping, Day-Glo green opening credits are an early indication that Mexican director Gigi Saul Guerrero’s feature debut isn’t to be taken seriously; a hint confirmed shortly afterwards when a demented man starts gobbling down a pan of bubbling eyeballs… which turn out to be bingo balls.

Unfortunately, while there are obviously comedic elements, it’s never apparent how lightly we’re expected to take Bingo Hell. Much of it verges on the absurd and the intensely coloured visual style is often far from realistic, but there’s also a clear aspiration to indict consumerism.

As a result, just when it ought to be out-and-out funny it can pull back into seriousness, and just when it ought to be serious it can be silly. At the same time, an abundance of activity (and snappy edits) doesn’t fully conceal an absence of solid plot progression, and a misjudged central character makes it difficult to care about her fate.