Freaky Tales tells four different stories that, while they have a throughline, never fully connect. It is a chaotic mess but entertaining nonetheless.
Freaky Tales lives up to its name in that it tells four separate stories that are bizarre, twisted, and yes, freaky. While they do have a throughline that somewhat connects them, they are more or less their own thing. Chaotic from the start, these tales are messy, yet they are thoroughly entertaining and come together to form a good movie.
Thanks to an incredibly talented cast, including Ben Mendelsohn, Pedro Pascal, Jay Ellis, Jack Champion, and Dominique Thorne, these four stories each have their own themes that are sure to resonate with viewers. That said, don’t put Freaky Tales on for life lessons, put it on to turn your brain off and have some fun.
The first story follows a group of young teenagers who are big into punk music. Their club continues to be raided by nazis, who consistently beat them up. After refusing to retaliate for months, they decide to train and fight back. Easily my favorite of the four tales, this one almost feels a little too close to home currently.
The second story is the one I find to be the funniest. Two young aspiring rappers are invited by none other than Two $hort to partake in a rap battle. The fact that Two $hort is a producer on this film makes his involvement that much more hilarious. The battle itself is a lot of fun and shows what a good sport he is, to let these women come for his character so hard. I found myself laughing quite a bit.
The third story stars Pedro Pascal and is easily the most emotional of them all. In an effort to remain spoiler-free, I will simply say that he is a former debt collector who decides to retire and do right by his pregnant wife. Pascal is one of the best actors working today, which he proves once again in Freaky Tales. His performance moved me to tears at once point while watching.
The fourth and final tale mostly focuses on a heist. During a championship basketball game where players’ homes are left empty, a local gang decides to break in and steal valuables. Of course, things go a little too far. This one is easily the most chaotic of them all, truly going off the walls when all is revealed in the end.
The final story also ties the others together, making the chaotic mess actually work. Freaky Tales is twisted, but a whole lot of fun. Due to the film being split up into four stories, the pacing is on point. Things move along quite quickly, which keeps viewers entertained throughout.
Freaky Tales comes to theaters on April 4 and if you enjoy twisted humor and want to have a good time, be sure to see it on the big screen.
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About Freaky Tales
Set in 1987 Oakland, Freaky Tales is a multi-track mixtape of colorful characters — an NBA star, a corrupt cop, a female rap duo, teen punks, neo-Nazis, and a debt collector — on a collision course in a fever dream of showdowns and battles.
Executive produced by hip-hop pioneer Too $hort, and featuring an all-star ensemble including Pedro Pascal, Ben Mendelsohn, Jay Ellis, Normani, Dominique Thorne, Jack Champion, Ji-young Yoo, Angus Cloud, and Tom Hanks, this pulpy blend of explosive action, edgy humor, gory kills, and sly twists and turns makes for one wild ride.
Freaky Tales comes to theaters April 4.
Freaky Tales tells four different stories that, while they have a throughline, never fully connect. It is a chaotic mess but entertaining nonetheless.
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Tessa Smith is a Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer-approved Film and TV Critic. On Camera personality and TV / Film Critic with 10+ years of experience in video editing, writing, editing, moderating, and hosting.