28 Hotel Rooms

Normally I'm not a fan of infidelity in films. I think monogamy is ideal and my feelings haven't changed. But 28 Hotel Rooms brings up the question "Can you be in love with more than one person at the same time?" What if you're a happy relationship and unexpectedly meet a person who MIGHT be your soulmate? Do you stay in your stable relationship while you pine for someone else? Do you leave that relationship for the new person that you have known for a much more briefly? Maybe it's not black and white.

A memorable film, a visual treat, so skillfully shot, and emotionally real with outstanding performances by two people caught up in doing the wrong thing when unable to resist the pull of forces many of us might succumb to or at least feel.

Matt Ross has built this work around two characters that are flawed and perhaps not adequate in substance for his prodigious talent but what he has created flashes with real insight into what happens when passion and love arise and grow within the confined space outside marital vows. We know from the start that we are on a journey where anything might happen and Ross's management of that wild ride is handled with an impressive intelligence while avoiding the predictable outcomes.

Viewer response could understandably be driven by whether he/she can empathize with the wrong doers or the off screen victims.

I can't wait to see what is next from Mr. Ross.

Out of 10, I give this movie an 8 rating, 8.5 to be exact, for the intriguing plot and transparent acting.

I have watched most films where Chris Messina starred in but could not remember his presence in them. In this one, he shines and shows that he has more to offer. He deserves any accolades thrown at him if any fr this wonderful performance.

I could have honestly given this a 10 but because of all the nudity that aren't really that necessary, I take the 1.5 worth of fail for trying to mimic erotica. It is true though that the idea helps up the caliber and I honestly would not have watched it for the title alone and actors alone.

I also think that the movie was able to capture the vividness of infidelity that is almost not a sin. Here we see two people being drifted once in a while away from marital vows because of love. At some point, I feel that the "Venus and Mars" issues is addressed.

Why it is full of intrigues is because of my failure to understand why these two people did not just stay together. Oh, then there will be no movie! :D For all the wrong and right reasons, it's become one of my favorites.

After reading the reviews, I had to watch it again to understand what someone said happened in the movie that I didn't see, but found myself continuing to watch past that point. The first time I watched this movie, I thought it to be a modern tragedy, almost Shakespearean by bringing together bad timing, circumstance and what could've been. As I watched it again I drew more to the emotion that the characters and storyline is trying to draw out of the audience.

If you lack emotional depth, experience, or having ever truly fallen in love, I think you watch this movie and brand it as a cheater movie justified. I think it goes beyond that.

The woman having bloomed much later in life was, for all intensive purposes, lacking in self-esteem and unsure of herself. Which was brilliantly communicated by the director and screen writer. She never knew what she wanted, or what she deserved. She only knew to fit into her roles outside of her hotel room encounters. She couldn't bring to bear the question of what was OK for her to have in her life until it was tragically too late.

The man was vulnerable, to a point. And like all men, didn't know whether to admit frailty in the obvious presence of a blossoming love with the massive risk of being unrequited and therefore exposing himself to the dangers of not having that thick male skin.

Director - I think that the tempo was good, even watching it the second time, it wasn't predictable and didn't force me to want to fast forward. It captured the awkwardness of getting acquainted, brought us to a place where they dropped their guard and even a period of adolescent energy where the characters connected.

Chris and Marin connected in this movie in a way that really made the movie. Periods of just conversation communicated something genuine while keeping true to character. It was almost akin to watching someone's reality.

There were so many times in this movie that you just wanted to tell them what to do, and as each tragic bit of circumstance came to fruition you were emotionally disappointed. That's the point of any movie, to get the audience to relate some how and ask questions and get emotional. And this movie accomplished that for me.

There is something about dating and affair. If the involved parties do not care about the meaning of marriage, they would be the same.

The idea of this movie is somehow unique but it doesn't mean it is good. If the director used its scenario as a sub-plot not the main course, it might be just fine. There are people would not pass their adolescence through out their life time. They are not going to change their behaviors no matter what stages of their lives are . So can you blame them? I guess not. This movie depicted that type of people. There is a little depth in this movie. It pretty much surrounded with dark sides of adultery which were nothing new.

I think if the main course has its unique storyline then adultery would enhance its complexity. It is a movie with too little effort to make a good one. So to speak.