Chili Finger movie still

Chili Finger // A Dark Comedy: A SXSW 2026 Review

Of course, I was going to be first in line to catch a movie titled Chili Finger. And a stacked cast? I knew I was in for a good time. Directed by Edd Benda and Stephen Helstad and written by Helstad, Chili Finger stars Judy Greer as a divorce attorney who decides to blackmail a fast food chain after finding a finger in her bowl of chili. Sounds pretty cut and dry, what could go wrong?

Day-Old Hamburger Patties

Ron (Sean Astin) and Jessica Lipki (Greer) are new empty nesters, and it’s hitting Jessica a lot harder than she is willing to admit. After sending their only child off to college, Jessica quickly spices up the marriage with a little blackmail scheme.

The couple is having lunch at the local chain restaurant when Jessica finds a finger in her chili. The restaurant quickly shuts down while she meets with the company’s head, Blake Junior II (Madeline Wise). They’re asked to sign an NDA and barred from the restaurant for life if they take a one-time payment of $100,000. Ron, clueless, only wishes to eat at his favorite restaurant and does not want the money.

This quickly draws the attention of the beloved founder of the fast food chain, Blake Junior (John Goodman), and he enlists the help of his best friend, Dan (Bryan Cranston), to get to the bottom of the mysterious chili finger. 

Chili Mix

Dan questions the pair, and it’s apparent that Ron has no idea what Jessica is up to. He provides a little more help than he should in the investigation, and Dan is easily on the trail of all the facts. Jessica is also not holding it together very well. She just wants to be able to visit her daughter with the money. Unfortunately, she also adds another couple of players to the party, further ruining her plans. As she falls deeper into her criminal era, her husband is left to piece things together on his own, and it’s really not that difficult. 

Chili Finger has an outstanding ensemble cast, and the movie is exciting and just as humorous as it needed to be. The plot is wild and just gets wilder. Chili Finger should definitely be on your radar. 

Read more from SXSW HERE.