This runs like an Americanised version of SHALLOW GRAVE and received a lot of flak for the excessive gore, violence, and sick humour (me, I don't mind). However while I was at the cinema I found myself enjoying this one quite a bit. I'm a big fan of black comedy and this film hits just the right spot. Criticism was levelled at the actors who spend most of the film shouting or screaming their lines and it is certainly over the top, but this just adds to the fun. It's a violent, fast ride showing a spiral into madness and murder.

Christian Slater has never been better as a psychotic, and here, he's an estate agent. Many people call him a Jack Nicholson-wannabe but I think he's good value here and elsewhere. The other notable name is Daniel Stern, an actor I have watched play nerds in 80's horror films to comedy losers in the '90s. He always gives a mugging, way OTT performance and this film is no exception. I almost see him as a comedy version of Bruce Campbell. The best bit in the film is where he goes mad at the service station and thinks everyone is watching him. The rest of the actors all look rather similar but it's worth watching just to see Slater and Stern. Cameron Diaz is the love interest, and she gets to broaden her talents. She's not really my sort of actress, but I'll give her the benefit of the doubt in this case.

VERY BAD THINGS is not the best film ever made, but if you're looking for action and violence mixed with sick comedy, then I recommend it. Interestingly, the director is Peter Berg, star of diverse things like SHOCKER and COP LAND. In my opinion, he does a good job here.

Kyle Fisher (Jon Favreau) is getting married. Laura Garrety (Cameron Diaz) is stressed out about planning the ceremony. She doesn't trust Robert Boyd (Christian Slater) in charge of the Vegas bachelor party and doesn't like his weird childhood friend Charles Moore (Leland Orser). Brothers Michael (Jeremy Piven) and Adam Berkow (Daniel Stern) join their workmate Kyle. Adam's wife Lois (Jeanne Tripplehorn) warns them about over-indulging. They gamble, take drugs and trash the room. Michael accidentally kills the stripper while having sex. That's only the beginning.

This is darkest of black comedies written and directed by Peter Berg. I don't find it funny. Everybody is actually a bit annoying. Christian Slater takes over as a pretty interesting character. There is no doubt that these are reprehensible characters. I don't care about them and their problems. Stern's manic behavior is annoying. Instead of worrying about these characters, I would rather have a rising kill rate. Every kill brings a smile to my face. That would be funnier instead of everybody yelling and being annoying.

A couple of days before his wedding with Laura Garrety (Cameron Diaz),Kyle Fisher (Jon Favreau) travels to Las Vegas for a bachelor party with his friends Charles Moore (Leland Orser),Robert Boyd (Christian Slater),Michael Berkow (Jeremy Piven) and his brother Adam Berkow (Daniel Stern) in his minivan. They go to an apartment in the hotel and get crazy drinking booze and using cocaine. When the stripper Tina (Carla Scott, a.k.a. Kobe Tai) comes to their room, she teases the friends and Michael goes with her to the bathroom to have sex. The prostitute hits the hanger for towel with her nape and she dies. The group panics, but Boyd convinces his friends to bury the woman in the desert. However one security guard comes to the room because of the noise and he glances at the dead body. He wants to call the police and Boyd stabs him to death. Then they clean the room and bury the bodies in the desert.

They return home and Adam freaks out with the situation, causing an accident with his wife Lois Berkow (Jeanne Tripplehorn) and children. Meanwhile Laura organizes the wedding party and during the rehearsal, Michael and Adam have a serious argument and Michael decides to hit the minivan of his brother. Adam tries to protect his minivan and is accidentally murdered by his brother. Soon Lois finds a note written by Adam and presses the group to know what happened in Vegas. What will happen to them?

"Very Bad Things" is one of the darkest comedies ever. The storyline of a group of friends that accidentally kills a woman is not original and has been used many times (for example, the 1997 low-budget "Stag"). However, "Very Bad Things" by Peter Berg has improved the story and is little gem of black humor. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Uma Loucura de Casamento" ("A Crazzy Wedding")