This was a bizarre and tragically bloody film but it was very well-executed.
The title hotel is located in both California and Nevada, on the state line and on this particular night, a bunch of oddballs are there.
First of all, the hotel is bugged and the mirrors are actually see-through and the manager, Miles (Lewis Pullman) has seen many disturbing things, this night is no different.
There is Father Daniel Flynn, whose not really a priest, searching for stolen money in the floorboards, Agent Sullivan (Jon Hamm), whose motives are never explained, in perhaps one of the films main flaws, singer Darlene Sweet (Cynthia Erivo) and cult escapee Emily (Dakota Johnson) who brought her sister with her against Rose's (Cailee Spaeny's) will. If Sullivan had just listened to his boss and not gotten involved with the kidnapping, perhaps there wouldn't have been a bloodbath.
But there is. Sullivan is only trying to help Rose, but Emily doesn't trust anyone so she kills him and the shot goes through the glass so Miles nearly dies also, and the cult leader, Billy Lee (a shirtless Chris Hemsworth) who managed to cram this film in between all his appearances as Thor.
In the end, only Father Flynn who isn't really a priest (they never are) and Darlene survive taking the money but leaving a bloody, fiery mess behind.
Sure, most of the characters are despicable or do bad things in the film, but the acting is great and style of the film is unique and despite the language, the film has an old-fashioned feel to it, which is not found too often in Hollywood today.
There are some problems with the film. Who is Laramie Seymour Sullivan anyway and why was he in that hotel? Who is the famous dead guy on the film? Does it even matter? (That was the best scene of the film when Darlene calls out Billy Lee.) Also, who was Nick Offerman? But it was great nevertheless and for once, the slow pace didn't bother me, slowly unraveling and showing the plot from different points of view as each character is important. Grade: B+
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