The Motel Life (2013)

Am I Missing Something?

I gave this film a 9 out of 10, because it was exactly what I expected it to be.

A lot of perfectly good film show their cards early, establish a unique premise and let the audience explore a topic at a leisurely pace, without much in terms of surprise. this film is not one of those films.

This movie tries so hard to be funny, yet it falls flat every time. Just another example of recycled ideas repackaged with women in an attempt to appeal to a certain audience.

The initial premise for Alan and Gabriel Polsky's low-budget indie movie is a familiar one. Two brothers - Frank (Emile Hirsch) and Jerry-Lee (Stephen Dorff) make a childhood pact never to be separated. They hole up at a Reno motel, where we discover that Jerry-Lee has killed someone, forcing the brothers to move on to another seedy motel in a remote small town during the depths of winter. The focus centers on the rootlessness of their lives as they try to make the best of unprepossessing circumstances.Several road movie conventions are present in the movie - the use of shots of deserted, often soulless highways; the impersonality of motel rooms with their identikit furniture and cramped living conditions; and the seedy roadside cafés where Frank spends much of his time having snatched conversations with passing acquaintances before buying food for his disabled brother. The two of them have never enjoyed a settled existence; like nomads they move from place to place, making the best of primitive living conditions.What lifts this film above the run-of-the-mill is the emphasis on the brothers' creativity. Jerry-Lee has only one leg, the result of a childhood accident when he fell off a moving train. But this handicap does not prevent him from being a talented artist. His abilities relate directly to one of the film's major themes, realized through Mike Smith's brilliant animation. Frank is a storyteller, weaving fantasies of male heroism and female conquest every night to keep Jerry-Lee amused; these fantasies are portrayed on screen, suggesting that Jerry-Lee is using his god-given talent to create mental images in his imagination. Through this device we learn something of the brothers' potential; despite their humdrum lives, they have stories to tell that can engage our interest just as deeply as those higher up the social scale.Alan and Gabriel Polsky's use of music is striking, not only evoking the mood of each scene but creating a wistful ambiance, making us realize how people often have little or no opportunity to make use of their talents. THE MOTEL LIFE may be a modest movie, but it is certainly compelling.

Review: I wasn't that impressed with this movie. I found it pretty boring and the storyline wasn't that interesting. Watching the two brothers going from hotel to hotel, escaping the law because of a simple accident, became a bit tedious after a while, and because of the pace of the movie, i lost faith of anything interesting to happen. The acting wasn't bad from Dorff and Hirsch but the script really let the movie down. Its a shame because the concept wasn't that bad and with the helpings of Kris Kristofferson and Dakota Fanning, the director really did have some descent actors to work with. Anyway, at the end of the day, the director really did make a disappointing attempt of a road movie which is no ones fault but his own.Round-Up: I was quite a big fan of Stephen Dorff back in the original Blade, but he really hasn't been able to top that performance. I don't think that it's his acting style that has let him down. I honestly think that it just has been the bad choices that he has made throughout his career. Emile Hirsch hasn't had a bad career. After starring in movies like Lone Survivor, Killer Joe & Savages, I doubt that this movie will hurt his progress in cinema. I did have high hopes for this film, which is why I'm so disappointed with the outcome.I recommend this movie to people who are into there drama/thriller movies about 2 brothers who are on the run after a simple car accident. 3/10

Recently, I saw the The Motel Life with Emile Hirsch, Stephen Dorff and Dakota Fanning and thought it was really interesting, captivating and told a true, dark story of two brothers. Directed by the Polsky Brothers, they took on the adaptation of The Motel Life. I haven't read the book, but I wonder what the book fans thought of the movie. Emile and Stephen's performances are intense and both characters are challenged as they run from the cops, search for money and try to survive. I really enjoyed Emile's performance. He portrayed Frank very well and could see the struggle to keep his brother well. As well, the sketch animation that is incorporated in the film just added to the story. That was one of my favorite aspects of the films. Sometimes films that try to add in animation with real life does not turn out well, but in this case, it worked!

Gloomy nomads and gloomy Nevada in the 1990's amount to a gloomy viewing experience in The Motel Life. The title clues us well enough: Living any time in a motel could be disastrous for mental health. The movie itself has that kind of despair.Frank Lee (Emile Hirsch) helps wit-challenged brother, Jerry (Stephen Dorff), after the latter kills a boy on a bike and leaves the scene. Together they light out for motels with some imaginative cartoons representing stories Frank tells Jerry Lee throughout their lives. Some critics find the animations distracting; I find them imaginative and boredom reducing.The confusing mash up of past and present (the boys are not much different from what they were) is relieved by Annie (Dakota Fanning), who is serene even in her conflicts. Fanning has grown into an intelligent actress and shows it here. In fact, Frank is fortunate to have such a dear girl improbably waiting for him. Another relief from motel boredom is cops looking for the driver of the lethal car. Add an enjoyable cameo by Kris Kristofferson as Earl Hurley, a car dealer, and the film is momentarily relieved from oblivion. Otherwise, the boys are on the lam and reminiscing while going deeper in debt and guilt.One high point is their winning several thousand dollars betting on Buster Douglas over Mike Tyson. You can guess how wisely they use it. But the money allows them to go to another motel, by now a motif of squalor and loneliness, no surprise to those with limited income and without Marriott points. Changing motels and buying carry out food reinforce the rootless melancholy of these not-too-bright boys. It's tough to care about such nitwits.On a more positive note, cinematographer Roman Vas'yanov captures the bleak winter landscape using film, not digits. It's possible to see how much more imposing the winter can be with old-fashioned celluloid. Just consider what Hitchcock achieves with that old Bates Motel. Now that's not dull.