The Motel Review
By David Kempler
This is not the Waldorf
How do I get out of here?
When all is said and done, a movie is writing, acting and directing. Yes, that might be an oversimplification, but it's pretty accurate. Michael Kang wrote and directed "The Motel" and he holds up his end of the bargain. The cast, led by Jeffrey Chyau, in his movie debut, as thirteen-year-old Ernest Chin, holds up their end of the bargain. This simplest of all combos working together brings us an endearing, bright, funny and unusual film that manages to tell one of filmdom's favorite stories; the coming of age of child becoming adult.
Ernest Chin lives with his mother, sister and grandfather in a sex motel that the family owns and operates. The sleazy motel houses a revolving door of just what you would expect to find in such a place. Hookers, guys cheating on their girlfriends and wives and poor families drifting through the shadows of a bare existence. It is against this backdrop that we watch Ernest wandering the minefield of the onset of puberty. He does this while going to school, living with an overbearing mother, having to deal with a kid who likes to beat him up for sport, all while serving as the chambermaid for the dump that is his home.
Ernest has a crush on the Chinese girl who works at the nearby Chinese restaurant but that's not going anywhere. Then in wanders Sam Kim (Sung Kang), a young and charismatic Korean man who brings young ladies in by the barrelful to Ernest's hotel. Despite his never ending stream of ladies and his nice sports car, something about him does not add up. Why is he living here? Where is his money coming from? Who is he? What he becomes is both a friend and surrogate father to Ernest. He's not exactly a father figure from a family sitcom but he does manage to serve that role to some extent, but definitely in most untraditional ways. Together, the two of them grow.
"The Motel" is an excellent take on the struggles of a young boy trying to feel his way through the cobwebs of puberty. Chyau is incredibly believable in the role and because of this and the deft touch of writer-director Michael Kang we are lucky enough to see a film that never ceases to entertain. You might not want to check into his family's motel but it's a pleasure to check into the world of Ernest.
