I’ve never been a fan of films that have three or more stories running at the same time. Usually these films end up rushing to combine them all and make the film work. Now, tons of films use two stories that tie-in together, and I’m not calling out those films. For the most part, unless the story is horrible or the film is poorly put together, they work. Hotel Very Welcome took an idea that I dread and made it work. Very well.

Rating:

Sonja Heiss directed and co-wrote Hotel Very Welcome, and she did one hell of a job. There are four stories told with five characters as they seek out something that is missing from their lives. Svenja (Svenja Steinfelder) is stuck in her hotel room after missing her flight out of Bangkok and develops a strange relationship with a voice at the call center for the airlines. Liam (Chris O’Dowd) takes a drug-filled trip through India after learning about a huge change back in Ireland. Marion (Eva Loebau) takes a trip to a new-age style self-help center called Happy Home to numb the pain of her relationship. And, finally, Josh (Ricky Champ) and Adam (Gareth Llewelyn) travel to Thailand in search of girls and good times.

Hotel Very Welcome is everything I’ve always hoped for in a film with multiple story threads woven throughout. Each story is interesting and (minus some small drags) they range from upbeat to destructive. The individual stories go their own way, but all seem to focus around the idea that “You may not get what you want, but you’ll find what you need”. Each character travels on their own expedition of soul-searching and painful thought processes to find what they need to be more fulfilled then when they set out on their own particular journeys.

The scenery is all over the place as the film covers countries over most of the world, tying the stories together. We’re treated to raves in Thailand, the desert in India (as well as hotels and parties), and the wackiest new-age home this reviewer has ever seen. Everything is shot with skill and every image draws the audience further into the film’s web. The music is also akin to the cinematography in that styles of music are brought in to represent so many different feelings in the film, that the soundtrack can’t be categorized. Or, at least, I’d find it hard.

Putting two major parts of any movie together, let’s talk about the script and the acting, because they work so well together. The actors really steal the show. Each brings his or her own character to life, and makes them three-dimensional. There are so many great scenes that make up the narrative, but one of my personal favorites is a confrontational scene between the Brits (Josh and Adam) as they bicker on the beach over food and money. Adam has run out of money and Josh is getting on his nerves. This is near the middle of the film, and though it’s comical in many ways, what transpires under the surface is anything but comical, as what starts off as a joke turns Adam off to Josh and sets up a massive rift for the rest of the film. Another great scene involves Marion as she finally has everything that she’s been running from crash down on her in the self-help home. It’s a harsh juxtaposition between what she’s been trying to do, and what she has to do. These moments come often and each scene says so much more than is being sold to the audience on the surface. The scenes with Svenja, in her hotel room talking to a distant voice on the telephone, don’t seem to be there for more than comic value at first, but as the film progresses Svenja’s scenes become more and more meaningful, and finally comes full circle. Another really great part of the script/acting hybrid is the awkward silences that fill so much of our day-to-day dialogue. It may sound ridiculous that this is a good thing, but it makes the film feel that much more powerful. The film’s power is also in how candid it is. It doesn’t shy away from the comments or emotions that fill each character.

As I’ve stated before, the problems with the film are mostly pacing issues. In the middle of the film there’s a hiccup of time where nothing really happens. Yes, stories are moved along, but besides the beach episode with the Brits, nothing really stood out. One of the biggest culprits was Liam’s story as he crosses a desert in India. There are also a few times where characters felt like they were given more screen time to make them seem more important even though the message of that particular scene had gotten across long before. If the film were trimmed to a modest 80 minutes it would have been perfect.

Overall, Hotel Very Welcome is an excellent film that brings out people’s inner selves, be that the goodness of the human heart or the anger inside all of us. The film reminds us that we should never settle because what we really need is out there; it may be just around the bend.