The principal story takes place in the mid to late Sixties, with a very satisfying soundtrack recalling some of the big hits of the era, which nicely redounds to Cynthia Erivo's character, a promising lounge singer attempting to make it big with nearby casino bookings. Edgar Hoover at the FBI., wait, what? Then it gets weirder and weirder with the El Royale's secret passage containing two way mirrors, listening devices and secret recording equipment. What really got my attention in the early going was when Calhoun Appliance salesman Laramie Seymour Sullivan (Hamm) placed a call to J. Part of my fondness for the film comes from an appreciation for Tarantino-esque story telling with a non-linear chronology, which was very effective here and not too difficult to follow. But he's not alone among a cast that includes relative newcomer Cynthia Erivo, Jon Hamm, Dakota Johnson and Chris Hemsworth, who provides an additional layer of intensity with an appearance late in the story. He was great here as the dementia challenged old timer bent on reclaiming an old score from ten years prior during a robbery that went South. Seems like Jeff Bridges can't miss ever since 'Crazy Heart', with follow up grizzled, ornery characterizations in 'Rooster Cogburn' and 'Hell or High Water'. Whoa, pleasant surprise here! The movie delivered a lot more than I was expecting with a title like 'Bad Times at the El Royale'. Reviewed by classicsoncall 9 / 10 'Sh_t happens.

El royale casino at lake tahoe