SummaryWhile on duty, a young, socially challenged hotel clerk (Tye Sheridan) witnesses a murder in one of the rooms but his suspicious actions land him as the lead detective’s (John Leguizamo) number one suspect.
SummaryWhile on duty, a young, socially challenged hotel clerk (Tye Sheridan) witnesses a murder in one of the rooms but his suspicious actions land him as the lead detective’s (John Leguizamo) number one suspect.
As far as thrillers go, The Night Clerk is a little light on thrills. That said, there are more interesting things going on, which makes the film worth watching.
This is a lovely and unexpected movie. I discovered it by chance and found the writing excellent and the characters beautifully drawn. Surprisingly, there were quite a few funny moments despite the serious subject matter. This is a subtle and emotionally satisfying movie with a central message of tolerance and a questioning of prejudice.
The results aren't fully satisfying on any level, despite a terrific cast that includes rising star Ana de Armas (Knives Out), soon to be seen in the upcoming James Bond film "No Time to Die."
Inert to such a degree that one wonders if the film has been slowed down, The Night Clerk doesn’t really go anywhere, truly disappointing for how much it wastes the talents of its young stars on a movie that doesn’t deserve them.
(Español / English)
Espiar para aprender / Spy to learn
Extracto
El empleado nocturno es un film sobre un joven conserje de hotel con síndrome de Asperger que se convierte en testigo y luego sospechoso de un crimen. La película funciona mejor como drama que como thriller, debido algunos logrados momentos intimistas y a las actuaciones.
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Reseña:
Bart, un joven con síndrome de Asperger (Tye Sheridan), trabaja de conserje en el turno noche de un pequeño hotel. Subrepticiamente ha montado un sistema de cámaras en el interior de las habitaciones para espiar y grabar a los huéspedes con el objeto de mejorar sus particulares modos de relacionarse y hablar con la gente. Pero de este modo se convierte en testigo (y luego sospechoso) de un crimen que observa a través de las cámaras.
La película de Michael Cristofer (que remite a películas con espiones como La ventana indiscreta, Doble de cuerpo y Sliver) es una combinación de drama y thriller que funciona mejor como drama. El personaje de Bart está bien delineado, con su curiosa (y típica) combinación de ingenuidad, inteligencia y dificultad para la comunicación, con su consiguiente soledad. La película se toma sus tiempos para crear efectivos climas intimistas entre el protagonista y una nueva huésped, Andrea (femme fatal del relato a cargo de la versátil Ana de Armas) y delinear con pocos y efectivos trazos la relación entre Bart y su madre (una irreconocible e intensa Helen Hunt).
En cuanto al costado thriller, el relato va abriendo sus cartas, pero ciertos elementos de la intriga y su resolución resultan algo confusos y acaso forzados.
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Abstract
The Night Clerk is a film about a young hotel concierge with Asperger's syndrome who becomes a witness and then a suspect in a crime. The movie works better as a drama than a thriller, building on some accomplished intimate moments.
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Review:
Bart, a young man with Asperger syndrome (Tye Sheridan), works as a night shift concierge at a small hotel. He has surreptitiously set up a camera system inside the rooms to spy and record the guests in order to improve his particular ways of relating and talking to people. But in this way he becomes a witness (and later a suspect) of a crime that he observes through the cameras.
Michael Cristofer's film (which refers to spy movies like Rear Window, Body Double, and Sliver) is a combination of drama and thriller that works best as drama. Bart's character is well outlined, with his curious (and typical) combination of naivety, intelligence, and communication difficulties, with his consequent loneliness. The film takes its time to create effective intimate climates between the protagonist and a new guest, Andrea (femme fatal from the story by the versatile Ana de Armas) and to delineate with few and effective strokes the relationship between Bart and his mother (a unrecognizable and intense Helen Hunt).
As for the thriller side, the story opens its letters, but certain elements of the intrigue and its resolution are somewhat confused and perhaps forced.
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This film is too boggy and has devastating plot weaknesses.
There's no suspense, there's no believable mystery, and the performances are remarkably forgettable.
Absolute fiasco.
A good episode of Law & Order is more intriguing, by far.