Hulu Debuts Trailer For 'The Binge'

Riffing off The Purge's elevator hook, in the style of Booksmart, anchored by a bunch of severely underrated actors is the core sell in terrific first trailer for this outlandish comedy

Vince Vaughn and Skyler Gisondo lead 'The Binge' (CREDIT: Hulu)

                       by Jack Linsdell

Well...this was a nice surprise. Today, Hulu dropped the first trailer (and related marketing pieces) for Jeremy Garelick's The Binge and subsequently made my day. Due for release on streaming service Hulu in a little under two weeks, on August 28th, this outlandish comedy has been on my radar for many months. It was one of my "most anticipated movies" of 2020, partly because I'm a big fan (and follower) of many of those involved in the project. Anyway, if I was excited before, then it's fair to say after such a fun and terrific trailer, I'm now (as the kids say) "pumped".

The Binge definitely looks like a lot of fun. This trailer is a terrific piece of movie marketing, giving us just enough plot hints and teases of it's seemingly hilarious R-rated comedy to "hook" you in, without (hopefully) spoiling any of of the best bits. Considering very few people (especially the casual viewer) actually knew about this movie, the trailer does an excellent job at making sure that is no longer the case. Unlike the "core sell" of first trailers for The Hustlers ("the most socially relevant comedy of the year") or Girls Trip ("a star-studded, progressive comedy"), both of which were also R-rated, The Binge isn't remotely selling itself as a "must see" event movie. It's not an original movie by any means, but it's various satirical riff offs to recent R-rated hits make it a unique movie in the current marketplace, not to mention positioning itself as the "most fun you'll have all summer" party movie too. Anyway, the trailer sells The Binge in a simple but extremely effective way. 

The Binge is first and foremost a very alcohol and drug-fueled variation on the core elevator pitch of James DeMonaco's 2013 sleeper hit The Purge. That home invasion thriller broke out because of it's highly topical and very unique hook of "imagine if all crime was banned except for one day of the year" thing. After an insane $89 million worldwide cume on a mere $3 million budget, The Purge became a whole franchise for Universal and Blumhouse with the fifth and final instalment The Forever Purge due for release this year (before COVID disruptions sent it to July 2021). Hulu is hoping for a similar reaction with The Binge, which follows three 18 year-olds as they prepare for the one day that consumption of drugs and alcohol is legal. Sure, Hulu probably aren't expecting to gain a whole franchise from it, but a similar buzzy reaction to it like audiences gave The Purge in 2013 would be ideal. Maybe audiences have tasted similar goods once and won't care so much...although I highly doubt that. 

And, that's because The Binge is also selling itself as a movie that shares a similar style to Olivia Wilde's critically adored teen comedy Booksmart last year. That Katelyn Dever/Beanie Feldstein flick was very "off the wall" and brazen in it's style and content, unashamed to use it's R-rating to depict very realistic and relatable moments like first sexual experiences in a very improvised way. But, it was also very tastefully done, with Wilde, the writers and the entire cast managing to craft a very poignant and human movie that captured the true teenage experience. And, The Binge looks to share the unashamed and "out there" form of Booksmart and it's very human and emotional subtext and sensibilities too. And, although Booksmart may not have been a smash hit ($24 million global on a $6 million budget) it was the most talked about movie of the year, with tonnes of critical praise and even a BAFTA nomination for Best Original Screenplay. So, if The Binge is just as good and funny, it could benefit from a similar reaction. 

Lastly, The Binge may not be able to sell itself as a star-studded comedy, but it sure as hell wants you to know the bunch of insanely talented and immensely underrated actors it has in it. It's biggest star is Vince Vaughn, although he's very much a supporting player. Regular readers know Vaughn is one of my favourite comedy actors, whose recent transition into low-budget dramas like Hacksaw Ridge, Brawl and Fighting With My Family is finally showing the world the acting talent I've said he's had all along. After a series of "against type" roles and having had a busy 2020 with Seberg and Arkansas, it's nice to see him returning to an outright comedy. The Binge also features the always excellent Skyler Gisondo as it's protagonist, who I've liked for many years. He's terrific in Netflix's now cancelled show Santa Clarita Diet, and many brilliant comedies like Time Freak, Booksmart and Vacation and I'm most looking forward to him in this. We also have the exceptional Grace Van Dien, whose performance in Netflix's racing drama Lady Driver was incredible. She reminds me a lot of Chloe Grace Moretz as one of those rare enigmatic, expressionist actors who can emote so much in the tiniest of facial expressions and mannerisms. Regular readers know how highly I admire Moretz, and Van Dien is certainly a great talent to watch out for. We also have Eduardo Franco and Dexter Darden, both emerging talents too.

So, I'm excited for The Binge. It promises to be good fun when it debuts on Hulu August 28th. But, it's trailer (despite being an excellent piece of movie marketing) successfully sells the core reasons why audiences should watch The Binge. It's a party-fuelled variation on the elevator pitch of The Purge, done in the style of Booksmart and anchored by a bunch of terrific and underrated actors (Vaughn, Gisondo, Van Dien). I can't wait to get binging (sorry).