“Dead Giveaway” is a deliciously dark buddy comedy that starts like a nightmare and unravels like the absolute worst hangover mystery imaginable. Writer and director Ian Kimble takes what could’ve been a one joke premise and turns it into a full blown comedy of errors that somehow keeps its balance between horror and humor.
The setup is really fun. Jill (Ruby Modine) wakes up the next morning from a blackout to find herself covered in blood, with a dead guy in her bed and a hangover to match. Her roommate Sarah (Suzann Toni Petrongolo) is about to walk in, and she’s still trying to piece together what exactly happened last night.
Jill calls on her ride or die best friend Lia (Mikaela Hoover) to help clean up the mess, but she shows up with zero patience and big brunch energy. Every attempt to fix the situation only makes it worse, and a steady stream of complications like nosy neighbors, suspicious cops, and way too many lies make their already terrible morning a full blown disaster.
What keeps the movie humming is the irresistible chemistry between Modine and Hoover. These two feel like genuine best friends, the kind who can argue, panic, and plot a cover up all in the same breath. Their banter is pitch perfect, peppered with the kind of back-and-forth that feels improvised even when it’s clearly well thought out writing. Modine plays Jill as a lovable screw-up barely holding it together, while Hoover nails the role of the snarky friend who somehow becomes the voice of reason. Together, they carry the entire film and make it worth watching.
Kimble’s direction is tight and clever, especially in the way he maintains the mystery. The film smartly withholds just enough information to keep you guessing about who the dead guy is and what actually happened the night before. There’s a real sense of escalation, especially as every fix just digs these women in deeper. The script is full of quotable lines, ridiculous predicaments, and a steady drip of physical comedy that never feels forced.
Eventually, the movie runs a little long for its premise. The middle section could’ve been tightened without losing any of the charm or tension, and it does drag in parts. The slower pacing is a small price to pay for a film that’s this consistently funny and engaging, though.
Messy and hilarious, “Dead Giveaway” is a macabre romp about friendship, poor decisions, and the kind of weekend that could quite possibly end in either a jail cell or at a table for champagne brunch. The movie has a wicked sense of humor, two fantastic leads, and a surprisingly well built mystery underneath all the madness.
By: Louisa Moore
Screen Zealots 