Stupid Games (2024) - Game Night Gone Bad

Back today with a LONG overdue review of Stupid Games (2024) from directors Nicolas Wendl and Dani Abraham. Nicolas reached out way back in January with a link to the film’s trailer (which for some reason I never posted – I’ll include it below).

Here’s how the film is described: A girl’s discreet attempt to assess her one night stand and his friends takes a deadly turn when she and her roommates host a dinner party where they unknowingly unleash a malevolent force.

Directors: Nicolas Wendl and Dani Abraham
Writer: Tanner Adams
Cast: Cass Huckabay, Alyssa Tortomasi, Gage Robinson, Saad Rolando, Ashwini Ganpule, Grant Terzakis, Larsen Deane

Stupid Games – Review and Recommendation

When I sit down and watch movies at home (vs an in theater experience) I jot down notes as I go. This helps me to gather my thoughts when I come back to write a review. Here’s some of my un-edited notes which as I re-read them will act as not only a plot summary but my review as well.

I suppose I need to include a SPOILER WARNING here as this will read like a sort of stream of thought.

Two guys, driving to a party. Their buddy, third guy, bails on them.
They find the building janitor to fill in for third guy. Guy #1 is excited to meet up with ‘a bad girl’ at this party.
The ‘hot girls’ are making a home cooked meal for the guys… but so far I get the impression the don’t know them all that well. Not adding up.
Riley = Blond
Mia = Indian
Jackson = main guy
Rex = Friend of Jackson
Stanley = janitor
Bad girl (Celeste) very concerned that they don’t have three guys
Silly convo over dinner. Where are we going here?
Lights go out… candles come out.
Mia – “What’s the matter boys? Afraid of the dark?”
Mia playing footsie with Stanley. She walks away and he gets grabbed by something under table.
They ‘split up’ – Riley (whore) goes to find glow sticks with Rex. Mia/Stanley pair off Celeste/Jackson. Very ‘Scooby Doo’
Riley / Rex start to make out. Are interrupted and Riley leaves. Figure appears in bathroom with Rex.
He sees himself bleeding from the eyes in the mirror. Washes his face and it’s gone. Real?
Going through board games – many of them are juvenile or incomplete (missing cards, etc.)
They decide on QUEST FOR TRUTH.
Board game scene. LOOOOONG.
Riley plays Fuck Marry Kill (as part of game) – Jackson gets bitter cause Riley said she’d kill him.
Celeste – “I find the more I drink, the better I am at games” – Me too Celeste… me too.
Next game, Mia has to go into the closet. The light is on in there even though it’s out in the apartment. Mia and Celeste whisper as she goes in. Mysterious.
Next game, Stanley has to find an object around the apartment that has to do with the game word (GARDENING).
He grabs a Garden Gnome statue. The girls are all obviously upset at this.
They go to the bathroom together. Riley says “it’s not a big deal” and Celeste says “it doesn’t bother you, with it out on the table?”
They agree to finish “this never ending game”
Another round of ‘Two Truths and a Lie’ and we learn Celeste was more into Cody (the guy that didn’t show up) than Jackson the first night they met.
Stanley sees his reflection in table and has same bloody eyes.
Garden Gnome breaks. Girls freak out. They say IN UNISON “we have to finish the game”
There’s no chance in hell the guys would stay at this point.
Jackson’s turn. He has an episode.
Things getting weird… not adding up. Hoping this pays off well.
Riley’s turn – card says “Truth or Truth Bitch”
Cabinets start rattling.
Letter are moving themselves. Spell out LIAR.
Girls are straight up gaslighting. These guys are fucking stupid.
Guys finally grow some balls and decide to leave and TV comes on with ear piercing screech.
Video footage shows girls doing some sort of ritual.
Stanley leaves and ends up in a dark room (the closet?)
Celeste reveals that none of them can leave… until the game is done.
Game board spells out PLAY.
Rex rolls and moves his piece. It moves itself back across the board to TASK.
Trivia question about ‘the forbidden recipe’ – solo question. Rex goes to check his phone and screen cracks. The answer is HUMAN FLESH.
Rex gets dragged into the oven and is killed (blood on glass).
Audio issues – can’t hear what they’re saying several times.
Mia goes into a room. Is attacked by something. Is she dead? They think so. I’m not so sure.
FACT OR FATE – Stanley has to come up with a lie.
Stanley sees THING. Riley answers wrong and is dragged away by THING.
Stanley rolls again and board spells out NOT YOUR TURN.
He bleeds from eye (I think), turns and walks into closet.
Celeste rolls – DEATH MATCH ROUND – card says “kill or be killed”
They start fighting… not sure why but strobe lights? Looks like Celeste kills Jackson.
Next scene Stanley opens door to delivery man. Asks if wants to play the game… he declines. Stanley goes back inside, says “he didn’t want to play’ and door to closet slams… movie over.

So, some additional thoughts about Stupid Games. The film looks GREAT and has some pretty decent acting here. The characters make some pretty stupid decisions, especially the guys, but let’s face it… guys do stupid things when they think they’re going to get laid 😉

I would have liked to have seen some more explanation of the monster here (which is credited as DJINN) and could have done with a little less of the gameplay but I can understand why it was all left in as I’m not sure exactly what parts I’d cut.

All in all, Stupid Games is a recommendable film that gives off a super creepy vibe as it tells the tale of game night gone wrong even if it is a little light on the gore for horror fans.

Stupid Games is streaming for free on the app Mometu and will be going to other streamers soon.