‘Beware of love at first swipe’
Bad Match is a 2017 American horror thriller film written and directed by David Chirchirillo (616: Paranormal Incident; writer of Dances with Werewolves (2018, not the 2016 one); ABCs of Death 2: segment ‘A is for Amateur’). The BoulderLight Pictures production stars Lili Simmons, Jack Cutmore-Scott, and Noureen DeWulf.
Buy DVD: Amazon.co.uk
Harris (Jack Cutmore-Scott) seems to have it all—a great job, plenty of friends, and an active sex life thanks to a range of dating apps.
However, all that all changes when he matches with Riley (Lili Simmons). Unlike Harris, Riley isn’t looking for a one-night-stand, and while at first, Harris just assumes she’s clingy, he’s about to find out the truth is something far more sinister…
Reviews [may contain spoilers]:
“Bad Match is certainly a film where the devil is in the detail because as things ramp up, little moments you may thought were quite throw away come to the fore and twisted the story into something quite unique but also extremely dark. Although its title says otherwise Bad Match is the ideal match for any horror fan.” Paul Downey, Bloody Flicks
“The film treads a fine balance throughout, making the ending feel too heavy-handed – but then again, perhaps that’s necessary in order to ensure that its point isn’t lost on those who failed to pay attention to the subtler work. It’s still an impressive film and an impressive calling card…” Jennie Kermode, Eye for Film
“Bad Match doesn’t look like a very expensive film. That makes the production even more impressive as it doesn’t look like it was made on a shoestring budget either. There’s some better than average cinematography and the score helps ramp up the intensity. I thought the premise had potential, but Bad Match exceeded my expectations.” Lyles Movie Files
“Here we have Bad Match, which is a stalker thriller for users of dating apps. Or for those of you who are tired of most stalker thrillers, because it provides a subversion of expectations that’s clever and far more enjoyable than you might expect.” Matthew Parkinson, CineMarter
“Cutmore-Scott is an appealing scoundrel, which means we aren’t instantly on Lili’s side – a less likeable lead actor would make for a nastier watch – but the character gets more extreme the more he’s pressured, and we see how easily a breezily charming lack of ethics can turn into whining aggression. The reversals of the last act work in a Tales of the Unexpected sort of way…” The Kim Newman Web Site
“Bad Match is an entertaining thriller that manages to comment on pertinent social issues without coming off as self-righteous or feeling out of touch. It may not be the most original flick out there, but it’s certainly worth a watch, and will definitely leave you feeling suspicious of online dating for quite some time.” Luiz H. C., Bloody Disgusting
“Fresh, clever, and ever so slightly twisted, Bad Match offers a modern take on the one-night-stand-gone-bad story, one that is sure to get everyone talking. We’ve had the rom-com, we’ve had the black comedy, Bad Batch is like throwing both into a blender, the results a dark and tasty fresh look at the world around us.” Kat Hughes, The Hollywood News
” …it’s very clever and a lot of fun. Simmons and Cutmore-Scott are really solid, there’s some good filmmaking and some very solid cinematography, and there are more than a few laughs. Bad Match is really good.” Matthew Parkinson, CineMarter
” …a fully rounded and interesting film, that engages the audience as much as it does surprise them at the end. As predictable as the genre formation is for the movie, Chirchirillo still manages to pack a punch and potentially a laugh – tying up an interesting, fun, and socially live-wired narrative.” Ashleigh Millman, The National Student
“By the third act, you think you know what’s going on but Chirchirillo constantly pulls the rug out from under us, forcing us to ask some challenging questions. Madness shapes everything about Bad Match and every step of the way seems blisteringly authentic. This is an online dating nightmare and one you’ve totally got to go on.” David Duprey, That Moment In
“Bad Match is a fun, darkly funny, thrilling film not only about online dating but dating in general. It is intelligently written and the cast is flawless in their execution. It is difficult to really pick who to root for – Harris, the arrogant playboy – or Riley, the intense and probably a little crazy girl. They are both equally relatable with neither being an innocent party…” Sarah Salvaggio, Cryptic Rock
Main cast and characters:
- Lili Simmons … Riley – Bone Tomahawk
- Noureen DeWulf … Terri Webster
- Christine Donlon … Rachel
- Jack Cutmore-Scott … Harris – The Guest, John Dies at the End, SiREN
- Chase Williamson … Robby
- Brandon Scott … Chuck
- Trent Haaga … Detective Dean – Deadgirl, 68 Kill, Chop
- Kahyun Kim … Lydia
- Talisa Friedman … Christina
- John Elefantis … Career Alcoholic
- Zedrick Restauro … Skipp
- Brent Alan Henry … Security Guard
- Cynthia Rose Hall … Detective Rich
- Pablo Ramos … Library Patron
- Eric Podnar … Brett
