Bad Boy: A weird little slice of life

Is this actually worth watching?

Honestly, it depends on how much you love 1930s character actors and plot threads that appear out of thin air. If you're looking for tight pacing, stay away. If you like movies that feel like a Sunday afternoon chore that turned into a weird drama, you might be at home here.

James Dunn plays Eddie, and he’s doing his best to make this pool shark routine seem charming. It’s mostly just sad though. There’s a scene where he packs his wife off to her family because he can’t pay the rent, and the dialogue is so stiff you could use it for furniture.

The Pool Room Vibe

The movie really wants you to care about Eddie’s hustle. But every time he picks up a cue stick, the camera just seems bored. It’s like the director really wanted to be filming a courtroom drama instead. 🎱

I couldn't help but think of the frantic energy in She Done Him Wrong while watching this. Where that movie crackles, Bad Boy just sort of drags its feet through the mud. It’s less 'pool room cool' and more 'stuck in a drafty hallway.'

Wait, why did that just happen?

About halfway through, the whole tone shifts. Suddenly, Eddie is involved with crooks. It’s like the writers realized the 'unemployed husband' bit was drying up and just threw a crime plot at the wall to see if it would stick. It didn't really.

• The lighting in the apartment is weirdly flat.
• Every time someone enters a room, they announce it like they're on a stage.
• The supporting cast has way too many people just standing around in the background looking confused.

There's a moment near the end where things sort themselves out so quickly it’s almost funny. The bad guys are dealt with, the money shows up, and suddenly everyone is happy. No one seems particularly surprised that the whole situation was resolved by sheer luck. 🤷‍♂️

It’s not as interesting as Employees' Entrance, which at least had a sense of place. This one just feels like a collection of scenes taped together with gum. If you watch it, do it for the hats. The hats are top-tier.

Ultimately—wait, I promised not to use that word. Let's just say this: the movie exists, it’s short, and you'll probably forget it by the time you reach the parking lot.