This was a movie that I thought had a very cool premise, but at the same time, its trailer appeared to leave no surprises to be discovered.
The Good This film's premise is definitely a fun one, and at the least, this movie was almost constantly entertaining. The dares that these people are forced to do as well as the reasons for why people are playing this game are things I found very fun and interesting.
Emma Roberts and Dave Franco both give solid performances in this film, and they each work well off of each other. Roberts as Vee accurately depicts a high school senior struggling with social problems as well as college, even if Roberts herself looks like she graduated from high school six years ago. Franco's character was also an intriguing one, and he grew on me the more the film progressed.
I enjoyed nearly every moment when a legitimate dare was being done, as they were handled very well and created tension excellently. The style of this movie is also a reason as to why this film feels original, as the sleek visuals create some very cool scenes.
The Bad Nerve can be very fun when it wants to be, but the problem is that it also takes itself way too seriously in many scenes. This movie tries to get serious towards the end and become dramatic and have important themes, but it all comes across as incredibly dull and tedious.
Speaking of the ending, no matter how serious the movie thinks it is, it is absolutely stupid. The whole plan doesn't make much sense at all, and there are way too many unanswerable questions to just let go how convoluted it is.
While I did like Roberts and Franco, I had a massive problem with Emily Meade.
Whether it is the design of her character or the performance, Meade is completely unlikable and lacks any sense at all, and that would be okay if we are supposed to be against her. Instead, the movie expects us to feel sorry for her, which I found impossible to do.
My biggest fear coming in was that the trailer gave away too much of the main plot.
I wouldn't say the trailer gave away too much, I would say the trailer gave away everything. Every single scene, besides two, in particular, I saw coming a mile away because of one individual trailer, and I think it completely ruined my film going experience. Nearly every dare, every important conflict, and even the plot twist can be found within this movie's official trailer, and I highly recommend avoiding that trailer like the plague if you have any interest in seeing this movie.
Conclusion Nerve has good performances from its two leads and a unique visual style, and it certainly has its fair share of entertainment. However, though it might not be fair, the trailer absolutely ruined my experience by giving away the vast majority of the plot. Even besides that, there are issues in the film's storytelling, and whenever the movie tries to be taken seriously, it falls flat on its face. Nerve has its moments but falls apart towards its conclusion.
4.5/10
