The Night Clerk (2020)

See past the crime movie, see past the thiller, see past the hollywood. This movie was great with 2 incredible actors. If people don't understand deeper meanings and symbolism. Don't watch it.

Fmovies: This movie has an identity crisis; it can't decide if it's a thriller, mystery, drama, comedy or romance! As a result, it's somewhat of a mess and difficult to sit through. It's a shame because the acting is really good; the script just can't keep up.

I have never written a film review before but I felt I must write one for this amazing piece of work because I could not believe some other reviewers were giving scores like 2 out of 10. The acting and direction is incredible with a perfect ramp up to give time to learn about the lead character's back story. From there a compelling story unfolds and I'll leave you to watch and enjoy for yourself. Anyone who watches this and gives it a poor score is clearly watching the wrong film for them. May I suggest something less emotionally challenging, for instance, anything starring Dwayne Johnson.

The Night Clerk fmovies. 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.

Predictable or not, I found the acting great, and the story, a bittersweet reminder of how naive we used to be as well, or perhaps, still are sometimes.

The leading male, Bart, has Asperger's. But the movie isn't about this disease. Bart finds himself swept into a murder scene because he wants to learn to be more socially efficient. Then Andrea shows up! And the plot takes an unexpected path.

John Leguizamo is superb as the detective, Ty Sheridan is completely believable as Bart. Helen Hunt is the protective yet enabling mother. Ana de Armas as Andrea will have you under her spell.

This is a must see film for those who like to think about what they are watching and the mystery of how the story will unfold.