28 Hotel Rooms

Out of 10, I give this movie an 8 rating, 8.5 to be exact, for the intriguing plot and transparent acting.

I have watched most films where Chris Messina starred in but could not remember his presence in them. In this one, he shines and shows that he has more to offer. He deserves any accolades thrown at him if any fr this wonderful performance.

I could have honestly given this a 10 but because of all the nudity that aren't really that necessary, I take the 1.5 worth of fail for trying to mimic erotica. It is true though that the idea helps up the caliber and I honestly would not have watched it for the title alone and actors alone.

I also think that the movie was able to capture the vividness of infidelity that is almost not a sin. Here we see two people being drifted once in a while away from marital vows because of love. At some point, I feel that the "Venus and Mars" issues is addressed.

Why it is full of intrigues is because of my failure to understand why these two people did not just stay together. Oh, then there will be no movie! :D For all the wrong and right reasons, it's become one of my favorites.

A memorable film, a visual treat, so skillfully shot, and emotionally real with outstanding performances by two people caught up in doing the wrong thing when unable to resist the pull of forces many of us might succumb to or at least feel.

Matt Ross has built this work around two characters that are flawed and perhaps not adequate in substance for his prodigious talent but what he has created flashes with real insight into what happens when passion and love arise and grow within the confined space outside marital vows. We know from the start that we are on a journey where anything might happen and Ross's management of that wild ride is handled with an impressive intelligence while avoiding the predictable outcomes.

Viewer response could understandably be driven by whether he/she can empathize with the wrong doers or the off screen victims.

I can't wait to see what is next from Mr. Ross.

28 Hotel Rooms is in some ways a formalistic movie -- the structure of the film and its cast are highly unusual and constrained. But rather than feel confining or artificial, this allows an intense focus on the actors and their performances.

These performances are so true, and so devoid of stagey or film-y artifice, that it makes other movies about romance feel false in comparison. There is no "saying the perfect thing at the perfect time" to the seduction between the leads, as there is in so many other movies. Instead, you see charisma that mirrors how charisma really operates among real people.

The same thing with their communication and difficult emotions: they are presented in a loose, real, palpable way, without being dressed up or made to have artificial consequences.

The only false note, for me, was the final scene; I didn't totally buy it.

I would not have chosen this movie but woke up to it in the middle of the night - and was quickly hooked. The characters are wonderful to get to know as they increasingly get to know each other, and delightfully free of self-pity or narcissism. The device they use to go from scene to scene is a black out followed by a new room number which is the scene of their next tryst. That device cleverly moves the action along a continuum of character development and maturing of their relationship without ever bogging down in an overly heavy dialog. Both actors have that kind of cinematic face which is fun to watch and never boring. Best thing I can say about this movie, though, is that it was written, produced, directed, and acted with an intelligence all too rarely found in today's American movies. And not a single car chase, explosion, or blood spattered body! No wonder it wasn't advertised by the studio!

I'm writing a review because I don't think people should avoid watching it based on the low rating. Yes, the movie is filmed in nothing but hotel rooms and with only two actors BUT there is actually more to it than it sounds. I honestly found myself get a little restless in the beginning but I still was interested in finding out what was going to happen to them. After about 15-20 minutes it picked up for me and I didn't feel the need fast forward it. I've always felt like 95% of people are capable of cheating on the person the love. It just takes the wrong kind of day with the perfect opportunity and BAM! I actually wish I didn't feel like that but I'm almost 43 now and I have felt like that for as long as I can remember. So I can see how they ended up in the mess that they did. Though "the husband" was never in the movie I felt really bad for him, even if he didn't know anything about it.