Motel Destino, a film by Karim Aïnouz, starts out as lively and interesting, establishing itself as a potentially excellent neo-noir set in the vibrant surroundings of the North-Eastern region of Brazil. It is about Heraldo (Iago Xavier) and his brother who love to go to the beach and practice capoeira but are also small-time crooks in debt to a local madam. This time their job a high stakes murder takes them deeper into trouble than ever before. Yet all its initial excitement and beautiful shots aside, the movie fails to live up to what it could be because it gets stuck in an uneventful middle section with some inconsistencies in storytelling.
The brothers must kill a Frenchman if they want freedom from their debts. Prior to that mission though, Heraldo decides he needs some rest so goes to a nightclub where he meets this mysterious lady who leads him to Motel Destino. After spending the night together she disappears on him taking his money with her leaving him locked inside one room having encountered Dayana (Nataly Rocha), co-owner of the motel who wants payment for his stay, Having no cash at hand Heraldo promises that he will pay once done with work but when leaving hotel realizes its already too late thus having nowhere else whereon to return back offers working there instead for food & shelter.
Life at this hotel is far from being ordinary for Heraldo. There’s peep rooms everywhere you turn, 24/7 surveillance through CCTV cameras seems like there’s no way out of here at all times everything screams trapped! As much as our protagonist wishes otherwise however things take different turn when love triangle between himself Dayana her husband Elias (Fábio Assunção) owners’ property threatens peace within walls.
The first few scenes of this film are very intense and fast-paced, full mystery and movement. But once Heraldo becomes a permanent resident in Motel Destino, everything slows down dramatically. The anticipation of something happening to him is slowly replaced by long sequences showing cleaning or just sitting around feeling sorry for himself while being involved into shallow romance with Dayana. For about an hour and a half one doesn’t hear anything but moans groaning which does nothing but make us question what has happened if anything at all.
With such a rich backstory poverty, childhood trauma, always running from something it’s disappointing that the main character doesn’t change much throughout the story. Dayana on the other hand comes across as more complex and interesting than anyone else in this film given how she carries herself confidently through life’s ups downs, right from start we know her motives are clear so there’s no need guessing who she really is or what she wants like with other characters them growing throughout their journey together adds layer upon layer to who they become by end credits rolling; true standout performance goes towards Nataly Rocha playing Dayana which makes “Motel Destino” worth watching alone.
The script doesn’t always hold up its own world building either, this place has CCTV cameras installed all over premises making it seem high-security prison where nobody could escape from. However later on we see Heraldo starting affair with Dayana despite knowing full well there are cameras everywhere recording everything that happens inside motel rooms! This serves only as cheap plot device pushing Elias into action but greatly reduces tension credibility behind these walls thus leaving viewer unsatisfied since much more cleverly crafted ending could have been achieved instead.
Aïnouz’s direction and Louvart’s cinematography is the best part of Motel Destino. It looks great all sweaty seediness drenched in natural light that makes characters’ skins gleam like they’re lit from within, both in the sunshine and under neon signs. The film turns hallways into places of mystery and seduction, heightening an erotic or suspenseful mood. Even when things get boring narratively, this brilliant work keeps us hooked by making people and settings so damn pretty.
Motel Destino seems to be about fate: how it can bring folks together or rip them apart in ways we never expect, but most of it feels like a waste that doesn’t go anywhere until the end. When everything wraps up, we’re left feeling unsatisfied because why did we spend so much time on this thing just for nothing to happen? Yes, the idea is cool, yes, bits are fun, yes, it’s beautiful but no.
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