Appetite

No matter what Trevor Eve appears in: i.e., comedy, drama, period pieces, classics, or better yet in "Waking The Dead", Eve is always believable. What a consummate actor. And Eve's performance in "Appetite" seemed a bit restrained which only added a nice touch to the overall effect of the film.

The storyline and characters are odd but I wonder about the shadowy pasts of the main characters and how they ended up in such a hotel which is old and run down. Eve as the hotel owner/front desk clerk seems a bit stark, as though he cannot ever leave the hotel for some unknown reason.

What a collection of characters rife with problems, emotional issues, fear, etc. Odd as the film is, I liked it because it was all about Eve.

This intelligent movie shows great potential from a young Director, however it also shows the difficulties in getting a film distributed as Appetite, at current has no distributor in the UK or US.

Set around a hotel. A group of Strangers meet to celebrate the obnoxious Nelson's birthday. Here the chef, Wim, tells of one of the rooms in which nobody sleeps. In this room it is said that those who have slept there, dreamt the dreams of those who had gone before. Drunk, Nelson challenges the guests to play a game of cards, the loser having to sleep in the room for a night. From this point on we see the varrying deprevities, lusts, addictions, madnesses & weaknesses of the guests.

The film is well written yet still relies much more on the characters actions. Indeed it seems the director signs up to the idea that a picture can tell a thousand words. The main delight of this film however relies on the relationship between Greta (Ute Lemper) & Jay (Trevor Eve). Both showing a longing for one another yet neither brave enough to confront the other. The supporting cast is also just as fine with all characters developed just as well. The Story is also a marvel with enough different plot lines to keep anybody entertained & a pace which is just about right.

A recommended film which anybody should watch showing that there is still room for talent in cinema today.

The cover of the US DVD is a little confusing. It says, "Welcome to Room 207. Rest in Peace", and it looks as if it was a haunting remake of "The Exorcist" or "The Omen". The cover text suggested somewhat the same, so I was slightly disappointed when I watched it: I did expect a horror thriller, but I got a slow-moving, well-acted drama set in a station hotel in England, where Greta (superbly played by German singer Ute Lemper) and Jay (Trevor Eve, another great but under-appreciated actor) sort out their weird, uneven relationship. The supporting cast of Milton's beautifully staged directorial debut is excellent, especially Christien Anholt, who plays a sexy and mysterious sailor, proves his versatility. The song that Lemper performs in the end, "Whenever we get close (we fall apart)", is a rare masterpiece in itself. This may not be a good thriller, but it's a sophisticated drama about the strange paths of love, and fear.

I am not much of a critic but I can recognize a good movie when I watch it and "Appetite" is just one of those little excellent movies that can't seem to get the attention it deserves. Like "Cube", this a well written & well staged with interesting characters' developments, supported by a fine cast. I recommend "Appetite" to all those who love smart horror films. And if you like "Appetite" you will surely love "Cube", so be sure to check that other film out.

I can't believe that I actually sat thru this entire film. A friend rented it because the jacket made it sound good. In it's defense, the jacket was correct; there was a supposed haunted room that someone slept in overnight. From the jacket, it sounded like this was on par with Freddy, Jason, or maybe "The Shining." It couldn't be farther from the truth.

If you are a fan of minimalist and/or surrealist films, you may enjoy it. If you're looking for a good fright movie, or a couple of thrills, go rent Jason vs Freddy IV -- you'll have a much better night.