From family films to splatter movies, bingo has been making an appearance on the big screen for years. Whether it’s a hilarious comedy or an epic drama, bingo is often used to convey emotion and meaning.
One of the most memorable movie scenes featuring bingo takes place in the classic film The Shawshank Redemption. In this scene, prisoner Andy Dufresne plays a game of bingo with fellow inmates.
1. Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa
Despite bingo being a relatively recent game, it has made its way into countless movie and TV show scenes over the years. The scene from the famous series Breaking Bad is one such example. The episode features Saul, Walter White’s lawyer, who becomes the bingo caller for a group of elderly people at a retirement home. The chaos that ensues is hilarious and demonstrates how seriously players take the game.
Another example of bingo in film is from the popular movie franchise Jackass. Johnny Knoxville, who stars as Irving Zisman in the movies, has a scene in this series where he plays bingo and chats with the other players. He tests everyone’s limits by drinking the marker fluid, which is sure to make them laugh.
Moreover, the animated movie Hotel Transylvania has a great bingo scene as well. It is a perfect representation of how a fun and entertaining game can capture the attention of viewers from all walks of life.
2. Big Momma’s House 2
The sequel to Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa, this film sees Johnny Knoxville using prosthetics and a large suit to play a grandpa that loves bingo. His antics push the patience of other players to the limit and result in a hilariously chaotic scene.
Martin Lawrence stars as FBI agent Malcolm Turner in this film about a man who goes undercover to solve a case. In a bid to get close to the suspect, Turner poses as a family’s nanny. This leads to him accompanying them on a trip to play bingo.
Although this movie isn’t about bingo, it does feature one of the most memorable bingo scenes of all time! Set in Dracula’s castle, the animated film sees monsters getting very serious about their bingo. With skulls instead of numbered balls, it is one of the most unique and interesting movie bingo scenes to date! The film is a slapstick comedy, but it also delivers on the fright factor too.
3. The Babadook
The Babadook was a horror movie that took the genre to a whole new level, but it also had some tranquil scenes that drew the audience in and made them think. Its one scene in particular that features a game of bingo and Amelia calling the numbers for the residents at the care home she works in is a real stand out.
This is the moment that arguably puts bingo on the map for viewers. Despite being stereotypically associated with older people, Bingo is actually a really fun and social game that can be enjoyed by all ages. Hotel Transylvania was able to capture this perfectly and introduce a younger audience to the fun of the game while also allowing them to have a laugh at its stereotypical nature.
The Simpsons has been running for 34 years and in that time it has managed to satirize practically everything from excessive face-stuffing (like in the episode where Bart plays bingo) to runaway capitalism (like in Mr. Burns’ scorched-earth capitalism). It is this rich vein of satire that allows the show to also poke fun at the bingo stereotype in one of its episodes.
4. Better Call Saul
There’s nothing quite like finding a new show or movie that keeps you entertained throughout its entire runtime and makes you think deeply about it long after viewing. Better Call Saul has been that kind of hit for its entire six-season run on AMC and Netflix, with sketchy lawyer Jimmy McGill plotting and scheming in just about every scene. This episode, which sees him trying to blag new clients by taking up the role as bingo caller at a retirement home, is no exception.
While it doesn’t advance Jimmy’s descent into scumbaggery as dramatically as episodes such as “Five-O” or “Fun and Games,” this is still a superb middle chapter inching everyone a few steps forward with gripping storytelling and impeccable craft. And of course, it also features a hilariously hammy turn by Julie Ann Emery as Betsy Kettleman, a suburban Lady Macbeth who refuses to let Jimmy’s self-aware shadiness change her ways. This is a must-watch for Better Call Saul fans.
