CANNES 2024 - remote notes

[Chris Knipp]

NATALY ROCHA, FABIO ASSUNCÃO in MOTEL DESTINO

MOTEL DESTINO (Karim Aïnouz)

TRAILER

In Competition. David Rooney in HOLLYWOOD REPORTER says "Karim Aïnouz’s tropical noir conjures a potent atmosphere of heat, desire and danger even if the payoff loses steam." A young man has conflicts with his criminal comrades and holes up in a seedy beachside (love) motel in Brazil's northeastern coast. There's a love triangle that seems torridly queer but it turns out they're all s "ostensibly straight" (they're not). There are "intoxicating visuals" in tis sunlit noir in grainy 16mm by Hélène Louvart to keep you "glued." Bradshaw in the GUARDIAN calls this a "terrifically acted Brazilian erotic noir thriller" and gives in 4/5 stars. Bradshaw's plot summary: "A young man on the run from a mob boss lands an unlikely job in a brutally functional love motel and starts a passionate affair with the manager’s wife." Some reviews, like the one in DEADLINE, think "narrative contrivance" detracts, but grant that direction and cinematography "crowning achievements." Fionnuala Hallligan, in SCREEN DAILY, compliments the score and sound design too as adding notably to the lushness and sensuality. If one gets into this setting and action as Bradshaw, Justin Chang of the NEW YORKER, the Cannes reporter for SCREEN INTERNATIONAL, and Robbie Collin of DAILY TELEGRAPH do, this will be a great watch. The Cannes premiere reportedly received a 12-minute standing ovation.