The Motel (2005)

Thirteen-year-old Ernest Chin lives and works at a sleazy hourly-rate motel on a strip of desolate suburban bi-way. Misunderstood by his family and blindly careening into puberty, Ernest ... See full summary »

Director:

Michael Kang

Writer:

Michael Kang

Stars:

Jeffrey Chyau, Sung Kang, Jade Wu

4 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jeffrey Chyau	...	Ernest
Sung Kang	...	Sam
Jade Wu	...	Ahma Chin
Samantha Futerman	...	Christine
Alexis Chang	...	Katie (as Alexis Kapp Chang)
Stephen Chen	...	Gung Gung
Conor J. White	...	Roy
Jackson Budinger	...	Jess
Clint Jordan	...	Walter
Eleanor Hutchins	...	Gina
Ron Domingo	...	Hank
Jackie Nova	...	Shakira
Jake Holbrook	...	Toby
Ian Boyd	...	Jimmy
Glen Brackenridge	...	Cheap Ass Naked Man

Storyline

Thirteen-year-old Ernest Chin lives and works at a sleazy hourly-rate motel on a strip of desolate suburban bi-way. Misunderstood by his family and blindly careening into puberty, Ernest befriends Sam Kim, a self-destructive yet charismatic Korean man who has checked in. Sam teaches the fatherless boy all the rites of manhood.

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Plot Keywords:

motel | friendship between men | asian american | liar | absent father | 

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Taglines:

Out of Place in the Middle of Nowhere.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

Cantonese English

Release Date:

24 January 2005 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Poughkeepsie, New York, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$7,100 (USA) (30 June 2006)

Gross:

$47,111 (USA) (6 October 2006)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Flan de Coco Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

75 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Quotes

Sam: I know what you were thinking. I hope this guy speaks english.
Ernest: No, You walk like you speak english.

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Connections

Referenced in The Motel: Behind the Scenes (2007)

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Soundtracks

"Perfect"
Written by Maggie Kim
Performed by Maggie Kim

User Reviews

Fun, Fun, Fun.

Fun, this movie is hilarious. WATCH IT! This is a complicated story done very simply. The main kid in this coming of age story is a superb "first-time" actor. It's like "Napoleon Dynamite" meets a Wes Anderson film. This is a film lover's film, no doubt. I only accidentally purchased "Motel" at Amoeba Music because of its inexpensive price and its "Ghost World" style cover, being more like a Graphic Novel.

I absolutely enjoyed it's everyday-life humor about family and growing up, tossed in with a not so usual setting of a pay by the hour Motel used for drunks and prostitutes. Combined with its indie soundtrack, any Todd Solondz lover would admire this movie's dark spirit and its uplifting metaphors. I suggest to WATCH IT and pass on the word. If you're a collector like me, just buy it and put it next to your Gregg Araki/David Lynch collection that you keep separated from the other crap you accidentally bought on your DVD mantel!!!

Not kidding, if you ever loved somebody growing up that didn't love you back, had a parent that was your worst critic, or thought you were adopted because you're just so different then the rest of you family... well, you and everybody else that likes a good movie should watch this gem. Not kidding.