The Motel (2005)
The Motel DVD Movie Review
Korean-American director Michael Kang's third film, The Motel, is about Ernest, a 13 year old Chinese-American boy who lives and works at a seedy motel that his mother owns. Ernest is a typical young teenage boy. He has a crush on Christine, a girl who is a couple of years older and works at her family's Chinese restaurant. He gets picked on by the local degenerates that frequent the family motel. Also, his mother, grandfather, and little sister are constantly giving him a hard time.
When Sam, a larger than life businessman, checks in to the motel, Ernest is fascinated by his reckless attitude and sexual escapades. Ernest quickly learns that, like most of the motel's guests, Sam is there because he has nowhere else to go. Sam's desire to reclaim his childhood and Ernest's desire to escape the awkwardness of puberty are the basis for an eventful, though short-lived, friendship between the two.
Jeffrey Chyau's portrayal of Ernest is well done. He brings an honesty to the character that would have been lost if the director decided to go with a more experienced actor. Ernest is jaded and rebellious, but never to an extreme. He has a good head on his shoulders; he's just having trouble coping with the awkwardness that is puberty.
The role of Sam is played by Sung Kang, a far more experienced actor than Chyau. Unfortunately Sam is the least believable character in the movie. His character switches back and forth between fun-loving party animal and father figure several times without warning. The adventures he takes Ernest on are equally incredulous. He exploits Ernest's naiveté by waking him up in the middle of the night to play catch, eat fast food, and even teach Ernest to drive.
These unbelievable moments are not entirely Sung Kang's fault. Michael Kang's convoluted plot devices are equally to blame. The entire sequence where Ernest takes Christine out on a date is riddled with logistical impossibilities. Ernest is able to get his mother's car keys and take her car without her noticing. He is able to drive after only one lesson from a shiftless, immature drunk. No other drivers seem to notice when Ernest stops the car in the middle of the road to try to seduce the object of his affection. After Ernest returns home, his otherwise overbearing and overprotective mother is oblivious to the fact that he was out joyriding in the family car for most of the night.
Overall, with The Motel, the good by far outweighs the bad. Chyau is excellent as Ernest. His portrayal perfectly conveys the awkward innocence and charm that is puberty. Also, even though there are key points to the story that are completely incredible, the infectious charisma of this movie makes it fairly easy for the audience to suspend their disbelief enough for the movie to be quite enjoyable.
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