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Four Rooms
Directed by: Allison Anders, Alexandre Rockwell, Robert Rodriguez,
Quentin Tarantino
Starring: Tim Roth
Genre:
Comedy
Run Time: 98
min.
Release Date:
December 1995
On The Web:
Unofficial
Site
Teaser: No Trailer Available
Reviewed by
Byron Merritt |
An anthology of short films
bound by one character is what you’ll find in FOUR ROOMS. And all
of the shorts are directed by four different directors with decidedly
four different styles that overlap one another via Ted the Bellhop (Tim
Roth, DARK WATER).
It is Ted’s first day on the job and it just so happens to be one of the
busiest days of the year for the hotel (New Year’s Eve). Relieving the
old bellhop who’d worked there for fifty years, Ted is given sage advice
that eventually falls apart on him (mostly related to sex,
accountability, and keeping one’s own council.)
The first episode is entitled “The Missing Ingredient.” A clutch of
witches inhabits a hotel room and they try to stir up incantations to
revive a lost sexual sisters. Sammi Davis, Amanda De Cadenet, Valeria
Golino, Ione Skye, Lili Taylor, Alicia Witt, and sex-pot Madonna
round out the cast here. All of the witches brings a required item to
the resurrection ceremony ...except one. She forgot to bring the sperm
of a young man to add to their concoction. Enter Ted the Bellhop who
finds his manliness much in need. This was the weakest of the four
stories, failing to develop the tale or any of its characters, thus
making the entire thing fall flat on its cinematic butt (even though
there were plenty of nice butts and boobs in it). SEX AND THE CITY
director Allison Anders misses his mark.
The next episode is “The Wrong Man.” Sigfried (David Proval) and his
wife Angela (Jennifer Beals) are having an interesting New Year’s Eve
playing a rather kinky game of tie-up-the-wife- and-see-what-happens.
Ted is brought into their midst and the sparks start to fizzle. Is
Sigfried gay? Is Angela psychotic? Funny thanks to David Proval’s
history as a film bad-guy, this one had potential thanks to director
Alexandre Rockwell.
The third installment is “The Misbehavers.” A husband and wife played by
Antonio Banderas (TAKE THE LEAD) and Tamlyn Tomita plan to spend a
romantic evening out but have to take their two misbehaving kids with
them. Or do they? Enter Ted the Bellhop again. They hire him to watch
over the boy and girl while they’re away. Porno channels, a dirty
syringe, flames, and a dead hooker all await the husband and wife upon
their return. More of a slapschtick homage to The Keystone Cops, this
over-the-top episode was directed by SIN CITY director Robert Rodriguez
— who loves to direct Antonio Banderas (they worked together on El
Mariachi and Desperado.) Probably one of the more laugh-out-loud endings
of the four.
The final short is “The Man From Hollywood” directed by and starring
Quentin Tarantino (KILL BILL). At the end of his shift as well as his
wits, Ted is summoned to the penthouse suite where he gets involved with
a wager between two very drunk Hollywood types. Norman (Paul Calderon)
and Chester Rush (Tarantino) have a bet going that Norman can’t light
his cigarette lighter ten times in a row without it failing. If Norman
succeeds, he’ll get Chester’s cherry and expensive car. If he doesn’t,
Norm will lose a finger. But none of his friends in the room want to be
responsible for doing hacking it off should Norman lose the bet. Enter
Ted again. Offered a large stack of $100 bills if he’ll do it, Ted
numbly picks up a meat clever and...
But we won’t give away the ending.
Seeming more like a pet project than anything of note, this 1995
offering is entertaining but sorely bland. The Jerry Lewis antics of Tim
Roth are admirable (Lewis also starred in a film entitled THE BELLBOY,
1960) but the homage to comedy of days gone by felt forced or missing.
There are still laughs to be found but don’t expect too many chuckles.
(back to top) |
Image from Four Rooms
DVD cost: $10.99
Purchase:
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Film Review Stew
Favorite? No.
Stew Poo-Poo? No.
Newsworthy:
The film was originally to
be titled "Five Rooms," with Richard Linklater contributing a segment;
however, he withdrew before production began.
Movie Quote: "All
you have to do is stay and listen for one minute. Nothing more."
Other Actors/Actresses
from Four Rooms
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