Falling somewhere between twisted erotic thriller goodness, VC Andrews sleaziness, and gory horror schlock, Bone Lake may be one of the most surprising films of the year. Led by a four-way ensemble cast, this unique chamber piece throws together two straight couples for a twisted weekend of sex and secrets. The simplistic setup seems to be a new modern-day norm: a double-booked Airbnb has been the subject of rom-coms (Love in the Villa, Alone Together), thrillers (The Cow), and even horror (Barbarian). This entry marks the first blending of genres for the concept, creating an endlessly entertaining romp overstuffed with campy moments and sexual charges between its characters. Putting its central pairing to the ultimate relationship test, Bone Lake takes its horniness and clashes it against macabre horror humor to spectacular results.
Diego (Marco Pigossi), a frustrated novelist, and his supportive girlfriend, Sage (Maddie Hasson), retreat to a lakeside mansion for one last romantic weekend before her new job begins. He plans to propose, but their lush getaway is interrupted when another couple, Will (Alex Roe) and Cin (Andra Nechita), show up to claim the property has been double-booked. With the closest hotel being fifty miles away, decisions must be made. They mutually agree to spend the weekend existing in the vicinity of each other’s spaces with very few caveats. At first, the two couples commingle easily, trading stories, flirting, and sharing meals. Beneath the surface, tensions simmer. Whether it’s sexual jealousy, artistic insecurity, or past betrayals, the threats to Diego and Sage’s relationship seem dangerously real.
Strange discoveries in the mansion hint at something far darker at play. Diego and Sage suspect there may be more to Will and Cin than they initially let on. The quartet of performances truly bring these characters to life, and make them feel lived in. Roe shows every maniacal shade of Will’s existence as he flirts his way into Sage’s good graces. The manipulations seep into the very DNA of Bone Lake. Screenwriter Joshua Friedlander leans into a hard-R rating with the horny atmosphere and character interplay. The way these characters toy with one another practically supercharges the plot. By the time it dives headfirst into a bloody finale, we are fully invested. The established goodwill allows the performers to dial up the insanity to an even greater extreme in order to match the energy of an increasingly preposterous scenario.
Lurid and hyper-sexual, the more the script embraces its over-the-top sensibilities, the more fun it becomes. The pulpiness of the horror perfectly compliments a stylish tone unafraid to embrace unique camera angles and exciting plot pivots. The script gleefully swings between intimate confessions and outrageous soap-operatic turns. But it always stays grounded even as it threatens to go gleefully off the rails. The final frames emphasize a careful balancing act between macabre humor and nasty horror. Oh yes, there will be blood. In addition to the goopy stuff, there’s plenty of eye candy to go around too, in both the male and female departments. There’s a pretty person here for for all preferences!
Fans of unhinged horror insanity should look no further. The gore satisfies—while sparingly used, it still manages to give a potent exclamation mark at the exact right moments. Some may find the tonal shifts whiplash-inducing, with moments of relationship drama giving way to pure grindhouse absurdity. Yet for this viewer, that’s all part of the fun. More filmmakers should be so willing to embrace the inherent silliness of a concept such as this one, played out to its most satisfying ends. If the cast is having a blast, oftentimes it translates wonderfully to the screen. If one can deliver a line about someone’s “cum still being inside” of another and manage to sell its hilarity without needing to scream it from the rooftops, there is a serious gem to be found. That the delivery works at all is a testament to the performers behind the words.
An entrapping nightmare where love and violence blur, Bone Lake plays like a demented marriage between erotic thriller and slasher spectacle. Trashy and violent in all the right ways, I would love to see more from director Mercedes Bryce Morgan. Though her previous feature, A Spoonful of Sugar, was not quite my tempo, she knocks it out of the park with her dementedly zany sophomore feature. Going into this one completely blind certainly was the right call. While there are a couple very minor issues, none of them are enough to break the soapy immersion. Wickedly engaging and unapologetically silly, Bone Lake is a riotous blast.
Bone Lake gets exposed for all to see exclusively in theaters nationwide on Friday, October 3rd.
As a fellow Josh myself, I am enjoying reading your reviews. I have been seeing mixed views on Bone Lake, but only way to judge it is to see it myself. I am not expecting it to be very serious as all out horror movie because from your review and others it appears to have a fair amount of humor. My AMC is doing a Scream Unseen of it tonight so, I am optimistic about it.