Bad Tales (2020): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 2020, Bad Tales is a drama film directed by Damiano D'Innocenzo, running about 98 minutes. “Once upon a time there was a dream that now exists no more” — that tagline sets the tone.

What it’s about. In a small suburb on the outskirts of Rome, the cheerful heat of summer camouflages a stifling atmosphere of alienation. From a distance, the families seem normal, but it’s an illusion: in the houses, courtyards and gardens, silence shrouds the subtle sadism of the fathers, the passivity of the mothers and the guilty indifference of adults. But it’s the desperation and repressed rage of the children that will explode and cut through this grotesque façade, with devastating consequences for the entire community.

Who’s in it. Bad Tales stars Elio Germano as Bruno Placido, Tommaso Di Cola as Dennis Placido, Giulietta Rebeggiani as Alessia Placido and Gabriel Montesi as Amelio Guerrini, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 6.9/10, Bad Tales has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response.

Where to watch. In US you can stream it on Strand Releasing Amazon Channel and rent or buy it from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies and YouTube. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Bad Tales page.

If you liked it. Fans of Bad Tales tend to enjoy The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, Schindler's List and The Godfather Part II.