Have you ever looked back on who you used to be and occasionally get disgusted? I’m so glad that I am where I am in life and that I’ve grown to a point where I can be more open to learning new things. I used to be really shallow. I guess in some ways, some of those practices still remain today. When I was first getting into comics I hated the idea of women-centric books. I don’t know why, I truly don’t know why, this was. I was so focused on Batman books that nearly every character had to be a male protagonist or I wouldn’t touch it. Even when it came to DC’s animated counterparts I remained strong in my convictions. 

If I could meet that man again I would give him a swift punch to the face. Even admitting this now in text I feel dirty. I remember the first time I picked up Wonder Woman. It was an absolute game changer. Written by George Perez, following Crisis on Infinite Earths, Perez delivered a bloody reimagining of the female protagonist that forever changed my opinion on women in comics. Nearly ten years later and my reading is almost exclusively women now when it comes to comics. Titles like Harley Quinn, Angela, and Top Cow’s Tomb Raider run from the 90s are proudly part of my collection.

Perez proved to me that women are more than the American stereotypes we’ve made them out to be for decades. Forgive me for buying into that nonsense for all these years. Women have more to offer than illustrations in panels. They offer us thrilling stories like Promising Young Woman that brings us to the edge of our seats and on our knees, while also making us laugh a la Mean Girls or Heathers. There is a new group of women looking to join the latter group in Bad Girls. The debut from co-writer and director Christopher Bickel tells the story of three women who rob a strip club and hit the road to create a path of destruction along their way.

Bad Girls have three stellar leads in Sanethia Dresch, Shelby Lois Guinn, and Morgan Shaley Renew. Much like I mentioned in the review for fellow Grindsploitation film, Mother Noose Presents Once Upon a Nightmare, DIY movies can be true hits or misses. There are sometimes films like Bad Girls that can be legitimate diamonds in the rough, while others at times can be a chore to push through. All three of these ladies have a special dynamic that I haven’t seen in an independent movie in a long while. They have terrific chemistry among one other yet are able to add their own depth to the characters and make them their own. They remain on par with one another the entirety of the film, something you need in a movie like this. 

The film is a love letter to Thelma and Louise. The road trip aspect wouldn’t work unless these ladies all complemented one another while simultaneously also making each character distinct. The b-side to this movie is the detectives who are hunting down the girls. Mike Amason plays Special Agent Cannon, and his partner Special Agent McMurphy, played by Dove Durpee, are some of the best parts of the movie. These two characters give the film a satirical edge that can sometimes be taken too seriously in films like this. What’s so great about these guys is they both individually have running gags throughout the entire film. The gags are delivered alongside both of them taking the scene seriously, though it’s Amason who seriously steals the show with his one liners.

As the film progresses, Bad Girls develops into something a bit more than just a crime comedy or road trip movie. It somehow transforms into a love story as well. I won’t spoil how but it demonstrates that this is a movie with dimensions and layers that help it stand out among others in its genre. With this transformation, we also get a good deal of heart that comes out. It comes in the most unexpected way but again, it demonstrates the depth of this movie. Perhaps this is me being a slight bit biased, and I promise I attempt to come to these reviews and be as unbiased as possible. One of my favorite genres of music is metal and this movie has a balance of speed metal and disco as its score. It’s an odd choice but it makes for an extremely fun environment. 

Overall, Bad Girls is a comedy delight that is fun and edgy. The movie updates the Thelma and Lois dynamic with some speed metal and drug-induced flavors for a memorable riot of a fever dream. The acting is top notch and the satirical additions of Mike Amason and Dove Dupree add another layer of brilliance to the movie. From start to finish, this movie is a blast and a true delight. Bad Girls has set the bar for comedy in 2021.

RORSCHACH RATING:

Mental Health Moment: As I mentioned earlier, this film has some fairly unexpected heart that comes to it. One of those moments is a scene in which everyone goes around and asks “what’s the worst thing you’ve ever done?” I feel like some of us hear that question and we immediately drop our heads in shame. We have taken up residency in the worst thing that we’ve ever done. We believe that we are our depression, addictions, suicidal thoughts, or shame. But you’re not. You’re not the worst thing you’ve ever done. You’re not your addiction or depression or your failure. You are so much more than that. If you need to take the first steps towards creating peace, please consider our resources.

If you or someone you know is reading this right now and struggling with suicide, depression, addiction, or self-harm - please reach out. Comment, message, or tweet at us. Go to victimsandvillains.net/hope for more resources. Call the suicide lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. Text "HELP" to 741-741. There is hope & you DO have so much value and worth!

Victims and Villains is written (and produced) by Josh "Captain Nostalgia" Burkey and others, and edited by Cam Smith. Music by Mallory Johnson and others. Bad Girls is property of Films Colacitta. We do not own nor claim any rights.

You can now support us on Patreon. Help us get mental health resources into schools and get exclusive content at the same time. Click here (http://bit.ly/vavpatreon) to join today!