Bad B*tch

I had high hopes for this movie but it fell flat. The two main female characters had pretty good chemistry but their conversations dragged on too long. The transitions and camera angles were awkward at times. The "gangsters" didn't seem really tough and felt like they were trying to hard. Jojo wasn't a believable bad girl and her lame dialogue dragged on too long in the end scenes. The strong feminism tones were contradicted by a sheriff who ignores r**e and gets no consequences, showing that a woman doesn't matter. The makeup on Jojo at the end was horrendous and she looked like a raccoon, the singing and dancing was comical, and the ending was lacking. It felt like watching a 2 hour long high school play.

Okay so Bad B*tch is kind of insane. I mean that in a good way. Mostly. There's a lot going on in this movie and not all of it works but I walked out of it feeling like I'd just been smacked in the chest.

Let me start with this: the dance fight. Yes, there is a literal dance fight. It's unhinged and theatrical and honestly kind of brilliant. It reminded me of that scene in A Clockwork Orange where Alex and his droogs beat a man with canes while singing "Singin' in the Rain." You're horrified but also weirdly mesmerized. That same vibe.

Visually the movie is all over the place in a way that kind of works. Some shots feel ripped straight from early Robert Rodriguez stuff like El Mariachi gritty handheld camera work that makes you feel like the lens might get punched. There are scenes that feel super DIY and then others that explode with saturated color and weird lighting choices that shouldn't work but somehow do. It's inconsistent for sure but that scrappy vibe gives it charm. You can feel the filmmakers going for it.

Now performance wise Erica Boozer as Jojo is the absolute heart and soul of this thing. She's restrained and thoughtful and then suddenly terrifying when she finally picks up that baseball bat. Her transformation into the Bad B*tch is more emotional than physical which I didn't expect. Trenton Judson plays Colt with this perfect blend of sleaze and charisma. He's awful and you hate him, but you also believe why people might have followed him in the first place.

There are definitely rough patches. The pacing drags a bit in the second act and some of the dialogue gets preachy. Like I get the point but not every conversation needs to be a philosophy seminar. That said the stuff the movie has to say about power and beauty and what it means to really fight for something bigger than yourself is honestly moving. And when Jojo finally shows up with BAD B*TCH carved into her bat I almost lost it. It's ridiculous and amazing and maybe the most punk rock thing I've seen in a movie all year.

This movie has flaws. Big ones even. But I'd rather watch something this bold and messy than a hundred polished but soulless blockbusters. It's trying stuff. It's swinging big. And when it lands it really lands.

So yeah. Bad B*tch is wild. It's raw. It's not for everyone. But if you've ever wanted to see a woman fight a guy with a machete using her dad's baseball bat after calling him boring in front of his gang this is your movie.

Highly recommend.

Absolutely LOVED this film!! The dancing scene was my absolute favorite! Loved the music, the acting, the costume and wardrobe were on point and the writing was crisp, thoughtful, and inspiring!! I've watched it 3 times already! THIS is why I LOVE indie film! It isn't afraid to take chances and go outside of the box and do something different! I found myself going back to scenes and rewatching them with a different critical eye, and I loved them even more. I'm so excited that there are still films being made like this! Cinema is STILL ALIVE!!! There were a lot of Easter Eggs references to classic cinema and they were not lost on me! A triumph!!!

I didn't expect Bad B*tch to absolutely wreck me emotionally and then leave me cheering like I was at a championship game but here we are. This movie is raw funny uncomfortable powerful and above all fun in the most fearless way.

At the center of it is Jojo played with such grounded strength by Erica Boozer. She's a character you don't often see. She's smart, unpolished, and deeply principled and not interested in fitting into society's idea of beauty. She builds homes for people who need them, reads philosophy for fun, and doesn't care if you don't get it. Honestly, I kind of want to be her when I grow up.

Her best friend Estella, played by Grace Field is the kind of friend every woman deserves. Their conversations about life meaning and right and wrong are so sincere and refreshing. Their bond feels real and intimate and the fact that the movie takes time to build it up makes the later events hit that much harder.

Then there's Colt McGammon played with an unhinged magnetism by Trenton Judson. Colt is the town's nightmare. He's charming to some terrifying to others. When he crosses the line from bully to abuser the movie takes a turn that is genuinely disturbing but handled with care. It is not about shock value. It is about showing the power dynamics that too often go unchecked.

But what really floored me is Jojo's transformation not just in how she looks but in how she decides to take back her power. She doesn't abandon who she is. She channels her values into action. It is theatrical and maybe even a little absurd but in the best way. It felt like reclaiming every time I'd ever been told to sit down and be quiet.

The fight scenes are wild and completely over the top in the most satisfying way. But what sets them apart is Jojo's conviction. She is not out for revenge. She is fighting for what is right. There is a moment where she has Colt at her mercy and instead of finishing him off, she tells him how women deserve to be treated. That moment gave me chills. It is not about becoming a monster to beat one. It is about power with purpose.

The ending left me misty eyed and proud. Jojo does not return to who she was. She evolves. She learns what her own version of beauty and strength looks like and the town around her learns too. For a film that includes a dance fight and a vigilante makeover montage it still manages to land something very real that when women stand up for themselves and each other entire systems can change.

This is not just a revenge story. It is a wakeup call, a love letter to every woman who has ever been underestimated and a blast to watch. Bold bonkers and surprisingly beautiful Bad B*tch is the movie I didn't know I needed.

This movie takes chances. That's exactly what we need in the movies right now. With the plethora of movies being IPs, remakes, or the seventh installment of a franchise, originality has taken a back seat to trying to sell movies as commodities instead of art. I'm not saying movies shouldn't try to make money, but anymore movies just feel so forced and artificial. Here, we have a movie that actually takes some bold swings and to me, is really reminiscent of filmmakers like Kubrick and early Scorsese. There's a grit here that's tangible and the actors make everything so real. I think what separates this film is the humor. It is laugh out loud funny, but it still gets you in the feels. I'm impressed with editing too. The transitions were seamless and I got lost in the story very early on. Villain was incredible. There's this great scene by the gazebo where he reminded me of Denzel in Training Day, but not in a derivative way, in a unique and original way that was all his own. He was a force. Loved the poet too, the young actress. She was so beautiful and performed the words with such eloquence. I'm going to follow her career.