The Night Clerk

This film was alright... the script was pretty weak. Ana De Armas character seemed shoe-horned into the story just to fill up time. Rarely is one actor's performance a big deal for me- actor's are tools that a director uses. Sometimes there are performances that outshine every other aspect of the film, and this is one of those performances. I've worked for over 6 years with special needs individuals, one in particular is diagnosed with Asperger's. Tye Sheridan's performance is so dead on that I know he a) researched real people with Asperger's extensively, and b) has the skills and confidence to incorporate that into his work here. Sheridan, along with Christopher Abott and Caleb Landry Jones, and a few others I'm probably forgetting, are among America's finest young actors

Those who are creeped out by Tye Sheridians character watching the hotel guests are looking at this act through the wrong set of eyes. His character Bart says he has to practice to be social so he is learning and mimicking what people say to be able to fit in better. It's more cerebral and those who don't like to think will not

Tye Sheridan really impressed me with his portrayal of a man with Asperger's. He is very convincing, from the lack of eye contact to his mannerisms. The story itself is a little slow, and lacks an emotional climax.

The problem with 'The Night Clerk', and I've seen many films fall into this trap, is that it gives itself a really annoying lead character for the audience to have to follow and side with. Now there are two sides to that coin. One is that the character is unique and interesting to watch from a medical point of view, and that's why the movie puts him there. But the other side of that coin is that it becomes really frustrating and hard to watch very quickly. It gives the film a point of difference, but a point of difference for the sake of it isn't always enough.

Tye Sheridan does a fantastic job playing the lead role. He nails Aspergers syndrome. Before it was ever mentioned in the film I was 100% certain that was what I was looking at. He keeps it up for the entire movie and never drops a scene either. The other cast member who really impressed me was Ana de Armas. I came to learn of her acting talents in 'Knives Out' and she has impressed me again here. She didn't have anything overly special to do in the film, but you could still tell she was a class above the rest.

The film itself is a little obvious in what it is trying to set up and surprise the audience with. There's one scene in particular that they thought they were being subtle with, but in reality it put all the cards on the table and gave the game away. Also there is a mystery element of sorts to the film that, had it been handled differently, could have been really interesting. Instead it was just clunky and petered out to dust by the end. I think the thing to watch this film for is Sheridan's performance and as a character study of an Aspergers syndrome. Otherwise there isn't a whole lot going for it.

It's rare you i find a movie i watch all through, let alone recommend to anyone, with that in mind, if you want to see a movie that is well acted, has a story that keeps your interest, is not predictable and has twists in the tale, you will find this worth a watch as a minimum.