Working from home as a debt collector, Dunn (Trey Holland) spends his days receiving torrents of abuse from calling people that owe medical debt. His remaining time is filled speaking to his dying neighbour, Mr. Bobshank (Keith David), dreaming of romancing a cute lady in his building, and spending time at his local laundromat. Things suddenly change at the laundromat when, inside a washing machine, a portal to hell opens. Everybody reacts to it with nonchalance, acting as though it is no more trouble than a leaky pipe. Soon, a demon named Chip (voiced by Richard Kind) exits the portal, intent on collecting an unpaid debt owed by Mr. Bobshank. To save his neighbour, Dunn agrees to find three souls to take his place in hell.
Making his feature debut with a splash, writer/director Woody Bess crafts a stylish horror-comedy that delivers genuine laughs, real emotion, and a fun running gag involving 2010’s pop-rock band Hot Chelle Rae. Bringing alive things are a superb supporting cast, as Keith David delivers gravitas and great comedic timing, while Richard Kind is unsurprisingly an absolute delight. A special mention is deserved to Romina D’Ugo, the charming laundromat worker who is eager to break up her boring days.
Central to this feature is Trey Holland, effectively capturing the awkward nature of Dunn as he tries to help despite the supernatural circumstances. He sees Mr. Bobshank as a genuinely good person who does not deserve his fate, and is willing to help him even if it puts his own soul at risk. As he becomes a different kind of debt collector, he gets a renewed purpose that his previous job seemed to crush, with the situation’s power acting as a counter to claims that he is a good guy. But, when he is placed in a bad situation, will the slightest push make him do bad things, or has there been darkness bubbling away unresolved?
Introduced as seeing the world populated with people who are either good or bad, Dunn’s experiences lead him to see that not everything is as black and white. He overlooks people’s capacity for change, and is soon faced with the idea that he is denying people that chance. Admittedly, it can feel like the plot lets Dunn off the hook far too easily, but it does not diminish the other point.
As the saying goes, the road to hell is paved with good intentions, but we can also create our own hell by constantly beating ourselves up over our failings. There are times when living in this world can feel like a true hell, so why not try and make things more bearable? If you truly want to change, then an important step is to forgive yourself. These thoughtful beats offer something genuine in support of the fun, leaving Portal to Hell as a solid first-time feature and a hellish good time.
