I thought this episode of Into the Dark was the best one yet. It was suspenseful and surprising. You should definitely watch this one!
38 Reviews
Best one yet
adriianna-4029911 December 2019
Good episode
stevedownsrph-5008512 December 2019
Wow! Very Clever! The Best "Into the Dark" Segment I've Seen Yet
kcrisenphoenix16 December 2019
I really liked this one! So many twists and turns. So weird and different. Well written and well-acted. Julian Sands was particularly good as the over-the-top boss and I really liked Angela Sarafyan as the good guy's wife as well. The roles were all over the top, and that was the point and I'd recommend this was heartily for good weird fun!
Worth staying up past my bedtime!
uberlefty6 December 2019
I was pleased to see that the December 6th release date was exactly after midnight in my region so I went ahead and watched it and I was not disappointed! I have enjoyed this series quite a lot despite the numerous flaws in several of them. Only a couple of the episodes have particularly stood out to me as more than just a part of the whole, this being the absolute best. My biggest complaint with most of the episodes has been the endings and this one nailed it.
The episode is a genre blend, which is not necessarily unique to the series but it happens to get the tone down the best. The script is believable enough while still including some out there reveals. The acting is far above par from the rest and sets this episode up to be a very good standalone dark comedy thriller.
The setting is very simple and somewhat cliche, a rich couple toying with others less fortunate than them, but with so many refreshing twists and turns. Its reminiscent at times of films like Cheap Thrills or Would You Rather, but takes on some interesting tonal shifts throughout instead of holding steady or just flat out being wacky and certainly holds no bars with the ending.
This is not a particularly frightening episode, but it is the most compelling and interesting thus far, and leaves me excited to see what the next episode will hold. Even with the interspersed duds, episodes like this make the series worth watching. Overall, highly recommend viewing this one even if the rest of the series is left on the table.
7/10
The episode is a genre blend, which is not necessarily unique to the series but it happens to get the tone down the best. The script is believable enough while still including some out there reveals. The acting is far above par from the rest and sets this episode up to be a very good standalone dark comedy thriller.
The setting is very simple and somewhat cliche, a rich couple toying with others less fortunate than them, but with so many refreshing twists and turns. Its reminiscent at times of films like Cheap Thrills or Would You Rather, but takes on some interesting tonal shifts throughout instead of holding steady or just flat out being wacky and certainly holds no bars with the ending.
This is not a particularly frightening episode, but it is the most compelling and interesting thus far, and leaves me excited to see what the next episode will hold. Even with the interspersed duds, episodes like this make the series worth watching. Overall, highly recommend viewing this one even if the rest of the series is left on the table.
7/10
I'd strongly recommend this film
kevin_robbins9 May 2021
Warning: Spoilers
A Nasty Piece of Work (2019) is another entertaining addition to the Into the Dark series on Hulu. The storyline focuses on two aspiring professionals who couldn't be more different. The night of the Christmas party the president of the company invites the two professionals back to his house. The two professionals hope it's an opportunity to get a leg up on eachother, little do they know they're in for a fight to their deaths. The movie is directed by Charles Hood (Night Owls) and stars Molly Hagan (iZombie), Natalie Hall (True Blood), Kyle Howard (Orange County), Dustin Milligan (Extract), Julian Sands (Warlock) and Angela Sarafyan (The Immigrant). The storyline for this is going to sound and feel like a lot of mini-hunger games style movies like Ready or Not; however, the script and randomness is very entertaining and hilarious. I loved the acting and interactions between the boss and the two aspiring professionals. The relationships and their dialogue also had me cracking up all movie. I'd strongly recommend this film and I'd score this a 6.5/10.
Best ITD yet
jordancbauer27 December 2019
The series has had high and low points, but this was spectacular. I think it requires a rounded or seasoned perspective to appreciate what was being done here, so not everyone is going to like it. Great casting and acting. Bravo!
Surprisingly Awesome
dar041714 April 2021
Had some Christmas overtones but this is not a Christmas themed TV show/ film. This one has you guessing the entire time of what is going on and what might happen next. It was also nice to see the guy from Warlock getting some work.
One of the better ones
tommymoses-8211014 December 2019
I'm going to be completely honest, a lot of these into the dark episodes are wastes of time. But this one wasnt too bad. It kept me on the edge of my seat at moments and the ending wasnt so obvious. It could have been better, but with these episodes I feel like people have to watch them with way less expectation
Why does this exist?
africadoug10 December 2019
It's not funny. It's not scary. It's not suspenseful. The ending is predictable and underwhelming. The actors, if you can call them that, were painfully overacting for laughs, but none of their jokes landed because the writing had less complexity than a viagra commercial. Everyone involved should be embarrassed, and everyone who wrote a positive review should be forced to rewatch this movie without alcohol in their system.
Pleasantly Surprised
mallissacruse22 December 2019
Warning: Spoilers
I haven't had such great luck with Hulu's Into The Dark series. So far, of their many movies, I only came to enjoy Pure and New Year, New You. However, this is now another great addition to the movie series!
Some have complained about the characters being unlikable and how they could've dipped out at any time. That's where I must disagree. Yes, Gavin and Missy are superficial asshats. Yes, Ted is a cynical Jason Bateman type. His wife; awesome. The crazy, rich boss and his wife making everyone uncomfortable the whole time(reminds me of when Jan and Michael have Jim, Pam, Dwight, and his "date" over for dinner in "The Office" hehehe) Sure, there were several opportunities to leave. People are not perfect. And that's nitpicking to me.
The characters make sense and are believable. I even enjoyed the asshats. It's intriguing, the way the story develops, making earlier, vague remarks; make perfect sense. The way everything ties together. The twists you don't expect. The satirical, light humor- matched with creepy cringe is something else I enjoyed thoroughly.
Highly recommend to those who like satire comedies, creepy thrillers, and aren't looking for a slasher film.
ehh very Reminiscent of "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf"
TataBeha26 December 2019
An older more established couple the Boss and his wife invite 2 workers and their spouses to a private dinner at the home of the boss and wife, to determine who is best qualified to earn new prestigious position.
Older couple, Bicker and Squabble and drink while purposely continuing to make younger couples uncomfortable and pushed to moral limits. THAT is were I see it was mirrored from the 1966 Drama Dark comedy "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf" starring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton as an older couple who toys with and plays unfathomable mind games with a young unsuspecting newlywed couple for their own selfish entertainment.
Odd. But me putting the Original films inspiration together in the beginning, gave me more context and patience to continue watching and follow along. If I had not figured that out in the earlier part of the film I would be even more mentally exhausted.
Exhausting film. But not bad
Older couple, Bicker and Squabble and drink while purposely continuing to make younger couples uncomfortable and pushed to moral limits. THAT is were I see it was mirrored from the 1966 Drama Dark comedy "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf" starring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton as an older couple who toys with and plays unfathomable mind games with a young unsuspecting newlywed couple for their own selfish entertainment.
Odd. But me putting the Original films inspiration together in the beginning, gave me more context and patience to continue watching and follow along. If I had not figured that out in the earlier part of the film I would be even more mentally exhausted.
Exhausting film. But not bad
Meh...What would you do on Netflix is better.
gunsandbears12 December 2019
I mean...it's alright? Its just like the movie 'what would you do' on Netflix. I don't know what I think about this movie. Its not suspenseful or heart racing..it's kind of like ew wtf. The movie would be better if it was A list actors and not holes in the story, as in...
Why didn't they leave?
Why didn't they secretly call the cops?
Why didn't they shoot them on muuultiple occasions?
All for a christmas bonus.
A Nasty Piece of Work
bobcobb30110 December 2019
Warning: Spoilers
It felt like Julian Sands was trying to do a Patrick Stewart impression in this movie, but at least it was crazy. There was funny moments, I was intrigued with how it would end, but it ran into the same problem almost every Into the Dark does and that is just too much nonsensical violence and a dragging air time.
Best installment so far
superkt22 May 2020
This is absolutely my favorite installment of the series. I attempted to watch probably 3/4 of all the episodes and some I just couldn't get through. The others I liked were Pilgrim; New Year, New You; Culture Shock just to give you an idea.
So this one had a fun concept - pitting two rival employees against each other in a very sadistic way. It's pretty suspenseful with plenty of unexpected twists throughout. The ending wasn't that great for me as it felt kind of contrived. The episode felt a bit too long like it dragged on a some in a few parts. Overall, I'd say it was pretty fun. It's not so much a horror film as it is a thriller with a good bit of suspense mixed in. Give it a shot.
ITD-A Nasty Piece Of Work: Merry F... Christmas.
edicionccq13 December 2019
Julian Sands, Kyle Howard, Dustin Milligan, Molly Hagan, Angela Sarafyan and Natalie Hall, this is the cast for this episode of Into the Dark. Is that time of the year, Christmas, Ted and Gavin (Kyle and Dustin) are invited by their boss (Julian) with his wives (Angela and Natalie) to a special reunion where little did they know, is a really messed up competition to get a promotion.
So far the best of season 2 has been this episode. In season 1 they made "Pooka!" which I honestly didn't enjoy that much, it feels too pretentious for this show. But this year they made "A nasty piece of work" in many ways. My only complain about this episode is it doesn't feel so Christmas center for me. I mean, maybe for many people must be something important the Christmas bonus but I don't feel it so Christmas. But the edition with Christmas songs like in the title card of the episode was something that I loved.
But avoiding talking about the season, this episode is great. The acting is on point; every character is somehow important to the plot and they are funny. This episode is one of the most amazing dark comedies this show has brought to us ("New year, new you" and "The Body" are other episodes that I considered to be dark comedies).
The twists are amazing and the ending is great. I think this episode has saved the season, because the last two episodes were not as good as most of the first season. My conclusion is this episode is a worth watching instantly. But don't expect terror, because this is a dark comedy with psychological horror.
So far the best of season 2 has been this episode. In season 1 they made "Pooka!" which I honestly didn't enjoy that much, it feels too pretentious for this show. But this year they made "A nasty piece of work" in many ways. My only complain about this episode is it doesn't feel so Christmas center for me. I mean, maybe for many people must be something important the Christmas bonus but I don't feel it so Christmas. But the edition with Christmas songs like in the title card of the episode was something that I loved.
But avoiding talking about the season, this episode is great. The acting is on point; every character is somehow important to the plot and they are funny. This episode is one of the most amazing dark comedies this show has brought to us ("New year, new you" and "The Body" are other episodes that I considered to be dark comedies).
The twists are amazing and the ending is great. I think this episode has saved the season, because the last two episodes were not as good as most of the first season. My conclusion is this episode is a worth watching instantly. But don't expect terror, because this is a dark comedy with psychological horror.
Intriguing Game of Corporate Rivals
Reviews_of_the_Dead22 December 2019
Warning: Spoilers
When I signed up for Hulu, Into the Dark was something that was a part of the decision. I've only seen 3 of the episodes though, but I plan to eventually check them all out. I was trying to find a second film for my double feature for my podcast and I heard an interview with Julian Sands on a podcast. I decided to give this a viewing as it doubled as a 2019 watch as well. The synopsis is the boss of a private equity company invites a couple of his employees over to a Christmas party that turns out to be an intense competition for a promotion.
We start this off with Ted (Kyle Howard) returning to work. The first chapter of the Falconheart Rules to get ahead is to show initiative. Ted went to get his boss' golf clubs when he heard him say that he wanted to get a round in. The problem is that be brought the wrong ones and he's mocked by not only his boss, Steven (Julian Sands), but his rival co-worker Gavin (Dustin Milligan). Ted snaps and uses one of them on a mirror in the bathroom.
It then shifts to Christmas. Ted is anxiously waiting to see if he is going to a bonus and Steven reveals that they're not doing it this year. Ted talks to his wife, who tries to calm him down, but Ted decides to confront Steven. It is on the balcony and Ted seems to be contemplating throwing him over. He is stopped though when Steven invites Ted and his wife over for dinner that night. He reveals about a new program that he wants to discuss there.
Ted's wife is Tatum (Angela Sarafyan). She isn't on the same level as the place they're going and it makes Ted concerned with the earrings she chose. She tells him to put away his cynicism and sarcasm for the night as it gets him in trouble. When they arrive, they get a better idea of the situation. They're hosted by Steven and his wife Kiwi (Molly Hagan) and the only other guests are Gavin and his wife Missy (Natalie Hall). Ted gets the feeling he saw someone when they pulled up, but Steven assures him there's no one else there.
As our synopsis states, it then turns into a game that progressively gets worse and worse as Ted and Gavin compete for this promotion, but the problem is, there isn't really one. The idea is that one of them will no longer be with the company so the other will have their salary doubled, but the stakes are a bit higher even than that.
Now as I said, I heard Sands interviewed on a podcast so I had a grasp on the idea coming in. This isn't really a new concept though. The first film that pops into my head is Would You Rather. This movie isn't as extreme as that one, but the general concept of needing to play this game that gets progressively worse is similar.
This overall feel though is kind of odd if I'm going to be honest. Kiwi and Steven make it awkward with how they speak to each other. It makes it uncomfortable for the other two couples and I do like that. It does get played out a bit and I will admit, the feel of the film is a bit off. There's some random comedy spread throughout, which I know if I was in the situation, I would awkwardly laugh as that is what I do in tense situations. The problem though is that I don't necessarily know if this builds enough tension though.
Since I've shifted to it a bit, I do think the editing though of this is good. The film doesn't mess around. We get a runtime of less than 90 minutes. What does really work is that the characters are introduced during the game. We get the general idea of them, but then we get things revealed as it progresses so it kind of makes it a character study where people are forced to give this information. They also aren't always the one that is doing it. There is the even feel that I touched on above, but I will admit I dug the ending. This even more so with how the character is treated.
Something else from the story though I want to go over before moving on, this is really taking a look at the rich and powerful. Since we know this is a game, Steven and Kiwi show what happens when people who are in their position don't necessarily play by the rules we all do and think they can do whatever they want. They're literally toying with these two families that just want to get ahead partially for their own amusement. I do really like this aspect.
I want to shift this to the acting. Hagan was really good as the loud mouth wife here. I love that she is constantly going after her husband for being impotent, which is ironic for the position that he has with his corporation. I can see that a parallel here with one of the most 'powerful' men in our country as well. Hall I thought fit well as the ditzy blonde who probably is used to the position that she is in. She does get tested in a way that made me feel bad for her though. I liked to see her performance in dealing with it. I really like Howard though. I see myself in him, down to the sarcasm and cynical nature when it comes to work. I feel I would act very similar to him as well if I was in this position. Milligan plays the guy who isn't as good at the job and probably doesn't deserve it, but he's willing to throw anyone under the bus to get there. Plus he's portraying this façade even though it is ruining him. Sands is just a legend. I really like seeing him in this position as his accent just embodies the character he is portraying. Then finally Sarafyan, she is quite subdued in this role, but she is kind of the voice of reason. I think she has the best change of all the characters though for sure.
That will take me to the effects of this movie, which I thought were really good. We don't get a lot if I'm going to be honest, but they do seem to be practical. They do a really good job at hiding them and just giving us a glimpse. I think the blood though looks quite real and the wounds also have a realistic look as well. It is shot very well if I'm going to be honest. I think some of the framing works to build the tension.
Now with that said, this film doesn't have the most original story, but I do think that it does do some things really well. Working in an office, I've contended with co-workers for promotions, so I get that side personally. Seeing them pushed as they are is quite creepy for sure. I think that the acting really helps to bring this to life though. The pacing though I do have issues with as the film just has an uneven feel. I think some of the humor, though I would probably use it due to my awkward nature, but it hurts some of the tension for me as I didn't really know if the game was going to go as far as I wanted it to. I think the running time was good. There weren't a lot in the way of effects, but what we get looked really good and it is framed well for reveals later. The soundtrack didn't necessarily stand out. It did fit for what was needed. Overall I thought this was a solid installment with some slight issues. I would rate this as above average if I'm going to be honest.
We start this off with Ted (Kyle Howard) returning to work. The first chapter of the Falconheart Rules to get ahead is to show initiative. Ted went to get his boss' golf clubs when he heard him say that he wanted to get a round in. The problem is that be brought the wrong ones and he's mocked by not only his boss, Steven (Julian Sands), but his rival co-worker Gavin (Dustin Milligan). Ted snaps and uses one of them on a mirror in the bathroom.
It then shifts to Christmas. Ted is anxiously waiting to see if he is going to a bonus and Steven reveals that they're not doing it this year. Ted talks to his wife, who tries to calm him down, but Ted decides to confront Steven. It is on the balcony and Ted seems to be contemplating throwing him over. He is stopped though when Steven invites Ted and his wife over for dinner that night. He reveals about a new program that he wants to discuss there.
Ted's wife is Tatum (Angela Sarafyan). She isn't on the same level as the place they're going and it makes Ted concerned with the earrings she chose. She tells him to put away his cynicism and sarcasm for the night as it gets him in trouble. When they arrive, they get a better idea of the situation. They're hosted by Steven and his wife Kiwi (Molly Hagan) and the only other guests are Gavin and his wife Missy (Natalie Hall). Ted gets the feeling he saw someone when they pulled up, but Steven assures him there's no one else there.
As our synopsis states, it then turns into a game that progressively gets worse and worse as Ted and Gavin compete for this promotion, but the problem is, there isn't really one. The idea is that one of them will no longer be with the company so the other will have their salary doubled, but the stakes are a bit higher even than that.
Now as I said, I heard Sands interviewed on a podcast so I had a grasp on the idea coming in. This isn't really a new concept though. The first film that pops into my head is Would You Rather. This movie isn't as extreme as that one, but the general concept of needing to play this game that gets progressively worse is similar.
This overall feel though is kind of odd if I'm going to be honest. Kiwi and Steven make it awkward with how they speak to each other. It makes it uncomfortable for the other two couples and I do like that. It does get played out a bit and I will admit, the feel of the film is a bit off. There's some random comedy spread throughout, which I know if I was in the situation, I would awkwardly laugh as that is what I do in tense situations. The problem though is that I don't necessarily know if this builds enough tension though.
Since I've shifted to it a bit, I do think the editing though of this is good. The film doesn't mess around. We get a runtime of less than 90 minutes. What does really work is that the characters are introduced during the game. We get the general idea of them, but then we get things revealed as it progresses so it kind of makes it a character study where people are forced to give this information. They also aren't always the one that is doing it. There is the even feel that I touched on above, but I will admit I dug the ending. This even more so with how the character is treated.
Something else from the story though I want to go over before moving on, this is really taking a look at the rich and powerful. Since we know this is a game, Steven and Kiwi show what happens when people who are in their position don't necessarily play by the rules we all do and think they can do whatever they want. They're literally toying with these two families that just want to get ahead partially for their own amusement. I do really like this aspect.
I want to shift this to the acting. Hagan was really good as the loud mouth wife here. I love that she is constantly going after her husband for being impotent, which is ironic for the position that he has with his corporation. I can see that a parallel here with one of the most 'powerful' men in our country as well. Hall I thought fit well as the ditzy blonde who probably is used to the position that she is in. She does get tested in a way that made me feel bad for her though. I liked to see her performance in dealing with it. I really like Howard though. I see myself in him, down to the sarcasm and cynical nature when it comes to work. I feel I would act very similar to him as well if I was in this position. Milligan plays the guy who isn't as good at the job and probably doesn't deserve it, but he's willing to throw anyone under the bus to get there. Plus he's portraying this façade even though it is ruining him. Sands is just a legend. I really like seeing him in this position as his accent just embodies the character he is portraying. Then finally Sarafyan, she is quite subdued in this role, but she is kind of the voice of reason. I think she has the best change of all the characters though for sure.
That will take me to the effects of this movie, which I thought were really good. We don't get a lot if I'm going to be honest, but they do seem to be practical. They do a really good job at hiding them and just giving us a glimpse. I think the blood though looks quite real and the wounds also have a realistic look as well. It is shot very well if I'm going to be honest. I think some of the framing works to build the tension.
Now with that said, this film doesn't have the most original story, but I do think that it does do some things really well. Working in an office, I've contended with co-workers for promotions, so I get that side personally. Seeing them pushed as they are is quite creepy for sure. I think that the acting really helps to bring this to life though. The pacing though I do have issues with as the film just has an uneven feel. I think some of the humor, though I would probably use it due to my awkward nature, but it hurts some of the tension for me as I didn't really know if the game was going to go as far as I wanted it to. I think the running time was good. There weren't a lot in the way of effects, but what we get looked really good and it is framed well for reveals later. The soundtrack didn't necessarily stand out. It did fit for what was needed. Overall I thought this was a solid installment with some slight issues. I would rate this as above average if I'm going to be honest.
Brilliant
brnewlun2 March 2021
Ok, first off as twisted and wrong as the plot was, it was brilliantly written and acting was amazing. This one is by far my favorite so far. I guess the message here is just how far would you go for a job promotion. This is one of the few that is definitely worth a rewatch. I'd give it higher than 10 star rating if I could.
Not bad, just lacking in surprise
clk264-649-71646318 January 2020
Not a bad movie, at all. I thought the suspense was adequately placed, and the humor was evenly laid. Overall, very enjoyable.
The ending, I am assuming supposed to be a somewhat of a surprise, was not one at all. Although, that's not to say it ruined any of the movie experience. The only thing I would say is unnecessary is that this film could be placed at any point in time, Christmas is not really an influence on this one.
Lazy writing. Poor acting
darthsteele-3933830 November 2020
What bothered me most about this film was the aweful acting of Julian Sands; One level, one tone, one volume setting, completely robotic. Then there's the lazy writing and horrid acting of the other ensemble members. It all just seems thrown together, culminating into a lackluster, predictable piece of garbage.
Good, feature length episode
TheTruthofItIs31 May 2020
"A Nasty Piece of Work" was an interesting Cmastime episode pitting two corp ladder climbers against each other by a "Mr Burns" type hosting a holiday dinner party. However, his wife was an equally sadistic player in the shenanigans. Yes, one of the candidates and his wife tries to leave the despotic scene several times but is coaxed to stay for enticing reasons. There are various twists and turns through their night to keep you interested and the biggest surprise of all is who finally gets the promotion.
I made an IMDb account to write this a review
joeelectricjohnson10 December 2019
Acting: terrible. Writing: terrible. Overall story: a mess.
This was not funny. This was not scary. This was not interesting.
The way the characters were written want consistent. This entire movie was unnecessary and a poor attempt at entertainment. Trash.
This was not funny. This was not scary. This was not interesting.
The way the characters were written want consistent. This entire movie was unnecessary and a poor attempt at entertainment. Trash.
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
