Guilty Pleasures

Although delivered in a dark, titillating package, “Guilty Pleasures” is ultimately an exploration of weird, twisty bits that we all have inside of us. This film takes a seemingly trivial and lighthearted event — discussing our day-to-day guilty pleasures — and flips it on its head, turning it into a dark comedy.

But while it’s thrilling and comical, it’s also relatable. At some time or another, most people experience a moment where things get a little too weird to take seriously. We also have a tendency to judge others for their quirks and inner demons, sometimes turning a blind eye to our own eccentricities in the process. “Guilty Pleasures” pokes fun at the uncomfortable situations we find ourselves in (especially while dating!) while also drawing attention to the hypocrisy many of us harbor.

Aesthetically, the film still starts out with a slightly more Hallmark feel, but we decided to commit to a more disturbing tone throughout the film instead of playing up the humor. To achieve this, we took a more intimate and unnerving approach to the cinematography. The aesthetic shift mirrors the characters’ descent into chaos, which is exactly what makes the dark comedy work: that surprising contrast.

We hope that viewers will laugh, but in a “what did I just watch?” kind of way. It’s a rollercoaster of emotions—one minute you’re laughing, and the next, you’re wondering if you should be laughing at all. All the while, you may be starting to wonder if someone has ever looked at you the way these characters look at each other… What strange and dark parts of yourself have others flagged that you might not be aware of?

This film plays with genre conventions in a way that doesn’t take itself too seriously, so expect some oddball humor mixed with suspense. It’s a fun ride from start to finish—dark, quirky, and definitely not your average guilty pleasure.