The Royal Hotel (film)

Last updated

The Royal Hotel
The Royal Hotel film poster.png
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Kitty Green
Written by
Based onHotel Coolgardie
by Pete Gleeson
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyMichael Latham
Edited byKasra Rassoulzadegan
Music byJed Palmer
Production
companies
Distributed by Transmission Films
Release dates
  • 1 September 2023 (2023-09-01)(Telluride)
  • 23 November 2023 (2023-11-23)(Australia)
Running time
91 minutes [1]
CountryAustralia
LanguageEnglish
Box office$1 million [2] [3]

The Royal Hotel is a 2023 Australian psychological thriller film directed by Kitty Green, who co-wrote the screenplay with Oscar Redding. The film stars Julia Garner, Jessica Henwick, Toby Wallace, and Hugo Weaving. It is inspired by the 2016 documentary Hotel Coolgardie by Pete Gleeson.

Contents

The Royal Hotel premiered at the 50th Telluride Film Festival on 1 September 2023. It was released in Australia by Transmission Films on 23 November 2023.

Plot

Two young American backpackers, Hanna and Liv, are travelling through Australia. After running out of money while partying in Sydney, they take up an employment agency's offer to work as bartenders at the Royal Hotel, a pub in a remote outback mining town. Upon arrival, they meet the pub's owner Billy and his wife Carol, who also works as the pub's chef. Hanna and Liv's first shift is handling the raucous farewell party for their predecessors, English tourists Jules and Cassie. While working, they meet several of the regulars. Hanna is disturbed by the casual sexism, misogynistic jokes, and inappropriate behaviour displayed by the pub patrons, who are mostly men, although Liv brushes it off as a culture shock.

The next day, Jules and Cassie are driven back to town by a mysterious local named Dolly. Matty, a young regular at the pub who crudely flirted with Hanna and Liv the previous night, pays them a visit and the group goes swimming nearby; Hanna begins to bond with Matty. Returning, they observe Billy and Carol's unstable relationship and learn that Billy has not paid deliveryman Tommy for the last three months, much to Carol's chagrin. That night at the girls' upstairs living quarters, while Liv is asleep, Hanna rebuffs Matty's sexual advances, before ordering him to leave. In the morning, Matty apologises to Hanna. Over the next few nights, Hanna continues to endure harassment and microaggressions by the pub patrons, while Liv is embraced by the regulars for her easygoing attitude.

Liv begins to slack off at work and joins the regulars in drinking, striking up a friendship with local miner Teeth. During one quiet night, after an intoxicated Liv retires early and leaves Hanna to work alone, a drunk and aggressive Dolly antagonises Hanna and a few patrons before he is finally forced to leave by Billy. Hanna is rattled by the incident, but Liv believes Dolly to be harmless. Shortly afterwards, when a snake invades the girls' living quarters, Dolly offers to retrieve it. The next morning, Hanna discovers Dolly has left the dead snake in a jar of alcohol with her name on it, further upsetting her, but Liv once again dismisses Hanna's concerns.

After unsuccessfully attempting to get Dolly banned from the pub, Hanna announces that she and Liv are quitting, but Billy refuses to pay them. During an argument with Carol over paying Tommy and the girls, Billy injures himself in a drunken fall, forcing Carol to drive him to the nearest hospital. Before leaving, Carol reveals she has taken most of the money to pay Tommy and has left some for Hanna and Liv. She instructs the pair to make as much money as they can and then leave when the next bus arrives in two days.

On their last night at the pub, Hanna throws a birthday party for Liv. Learning from Teeth that Liv has left with Dolly, Hanna soon finds her drunk in Dolly's car. When Dolly attempts to drive off, Hanna intervenes, slashing one of his tyres with an axe. Hanna and Liv return to the pub where they argue. The next morning, Hanna awakens to let Matty in, only to discover Dolly is with him. The two men break in and chase Hanna to her living quarters. Liv leaves with Dolly while an agitated Hanna attempts to ward off Matty with the axe. A scuffle ensues and Hanna is injured.

As Dolly and Matty take Liv to their car, Hanna steps outside. Alarmed at her friend's injuries, Liv breaks free from Dolly and reunites with Hanna. As Dolly approaches, Teeth smashes into his car with his truck and proceeds to assault Dolly as Matty flees. Retreating to the pub, the girls begin to break several bottles. When Teeth walks in, declaring that he beat up Dolly to claim Liv for himself, Liv angrily turns him away. With the pub covered in liquor, Hanna sets the building on fire. Hanna and Liv walk away in silence as the Royal Hotel burns.

Cast

Production

Development

The film reunited actress Julia Garner with director Kitty Green Julia Garner und Kitty Green-6856 (cropped).jpg
The film reunited actress Julia Garner with director Kitty Green

Kitty Green co-wrote the script with Oscar Redding, [4] inspired by Pete Gleeson's 2016 documentary Hotel Coolgardie, which chronicles two young Finnish female backpackers who face misogyny while working as barmaids at a pub in the mining town of Coolgardie, Western Australia. [5] [6] [7] Production comes from See-Saw Films through producers Emile Sherman, Iain Canning and Liz Watts along with Scarlett Pictures' Kath Shelper. HanWay Films and Cross City Films handled international sales, with Neon taking North American distribution rights, in April 2022. [4] [8]

Casting

Hugo Weaving and Jessica Henwick joined the cast in April 2022. [9] Toby Wallace was confirmed to have joined the cast in August 2022. [10]

Filming

The Yatina Hotel where the film was shot. Yatina-Hotel 1974EDITED.jpg
The Yatina Hotel where the film was shot.

Principal photography took place in the town of Yatina and other areas around South Australia in August 2022. A disused bar in Yatina, a town with a population of 29, was used for The Royal Hotel. [11] While the upstairs living area of the building was used for filming, scenes of the bar on the ground floor were shot on a separate stage. [12]

Filming took place over 21 days. [12] Green and cinematographer Michael Latham storyboarded many of the scenes prior to filming. [12]

Release

The Royal Hotel had its world premiere at the 50th Telluride Film Festival on September 1, 2023. [13] [14] It also screened at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival on 7 September 2023. [15] [16] It was released by Neon in the United States on 6 October 2023, [17] and was released by Transmission Films in Australia on 23 November 2023.

Critical response

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes , 88% of 139 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.1/10.The website's consensus reads: "A chilling immersion into a place and time fraught with constant danger, The Royal Hotel reunites Kitty Green and Julia Garner to electrifying effect." [18] Metacritic , which uses a weighted average , assigned the film a score of 77 out of 100, based on 35 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews. [19]

Sheri Linden of The Hollywood Reporter called the fim, "a well-etched story on dread overload". [20] Writing for RogerEbert.com, Marya E. Gates described the film as "a Gen Z twist on the Australian classic Wake in Fright ". [21] She added, The Royal Hotel "remains a chilling and tense examination of the Outback’s toxic alcohol-fueled culture. Green continues to establish herself as an insightful chronicler of the minor yet devastating terrors of violent masculinity that many women endure everywhere they go." [21]

Awards

Related Research Articles

<i>Hello, Dolly!</i> (musical) 1964 Broadway musical

Hello, Dolly! is a 1964 musical with lyrics and music by Jerry Herman and a book by Michael Stewart, based on Thornton Wilder's 1938 farce The Merchant of Yonkers, which Wilder revised and retitled The Matchmaker in 1954. The musical follows the story of Dolly Gallagher Levi, a strong-willed matchmaker, as she travels to Yonkers, New York, to find a match for the miserly "well-known unmarried half-a-millionaire" Horace Vandergelder.

<i>13 Going on 30</i> 2004 film by Gary Winick

13 Going on 30 is a 2004 American fantasy romantic comedy film written by Cathy Yuspa and Josh Goldsmith, directed by Gary Winick, starring Jennifer Garner and Mark Ruffalo, and produced by Susan Arnold and Donna Arkoff Roth. The film is about a 13-year-old girl in 1987 who awakens to find herself suddenly 30 years old and living in 2004 as a fashion editor.

<i>Being Julia</i> 2004 drama film directed by Sebastián Szabó

Being Julia is a 2004 comedy-drama film directed by István Szabó and starring Annette Bening and Jeremy Irons. The screenplay by Ronald Harwood is based on the novel Theatre (1937) by W. Somerset Maugham. The original film score was composed by Mychael Danna.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Telluride Film Festival</span> Annual film festival held in Colorado, US

The Telluride Film Festival (TFF) is a film festival held annually in Telluride, Colorado, during Labor Day weekend. The 51st edition took place on August 30–September 4, 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sam Bush</span> American mandolinist

Charles Samuel Bush is an American mandolinist who is considered an originator of progressive bluegrass music. In 2020, he was inducted into the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame as a member of New Grass Revival. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame a second time in 2023 as a solo artist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kitty Kiernan</span> Fiancée of Michael Collins (1892–1945)

Catherine Brigid Cronin was an Irish woman widely known as the fiancée of Irish revolutionary leader and Chairman of the Provisional Government, Michael Collins.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Telluride Bluegrass Festival</span>

Telluride Bluegrass Festival is an annual music festival in Telluride, Colorado hosted by Planet Bluegrass. Although traditionally the festival focuses on bluegrass music, it often features music from a variety of related genres.

Mountainfilm is a documentary film festival that showcases nonfiction stories about environmental, cultural, climbing, political and social justice issues in Telluride, Colorado. It has been held every Memorial Day weekend since 1979.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Daniel Henshall</span> Australian actor (born 1982)

Daniel Edwin Henshall is an Australian actor. Following his film debut in Snowtown (2011), for which he won the AACTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role, Henshall appeared in films such as The Babadook (2014), Okja (2017), Acute Misfortune (2018), and Catch the Fair One (2021).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jessica Henwick</span> British actress (born 1992)

Jessica Yu-Li Henwick is a British actress, writer and director. She began her career in 2010 and is best known for her roles in Game of Thrones, Iron Fist, Love and Monsters, The Defenders, Silk, The Matrix Resurrections, The Gray Man, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery and The Royal Hotel. Her directorial debut Bus Girl was nominated for a BAFTA.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yatina</span> Town in South Australia

Yatina is a town and locality in the Australian state of South Australia located on the RM Williams Way about 222 kilometres (138 mi) north of the state capital of Adelaide and about 31 kilometres (19 mi) and 21 kilometres (13 mi) respectively from the municipal seats of Jamestown and Orroroo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">See-Saw Films</span> British-Australian film and television production company

See-Saw Films is a British-Australian film and television production company founded in 2008 by Iain Canning and Emile Sherman, with offices in London and Sydney. Their productions include The King's Speech, Top Of The Lake, Lion, The Power of the Dog, Slow Horses and the British teen series Heartstopper.

<i>Anna Karenina</i> (2012 film) 2012 film by Joe Wright

Anna Karenina is a 2012 historical romantic drama film directed by Joe Wright. Adapted by Tom Stoppard from Leo Tolstoy's 1878 novel, the film depicts the tragedy of Russian aristocrat and socialite Anna Karenina, wife of senior statesman Alexei Karenin, and her affair with the affluent cavalry officer Count Vronsky. Keira Knightley stars as the titular character; this is her third collaboration with director Joe Wright following Pride & Prejudice (2005) and Atonement (2007). Jude Law and Aaron Taylor-Johnson appear as Karenin and Vronsky, respectively. Matthew Macfadyen, Kelly Macdonald, Domhnall Gleeson, and Alicia Vikander appear in key supporting roles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Julia Garner</span> American actress (born 1994)

Julia Garner is an American actress. She is best known for her starring role as Ruth Langmore in the Netflix crime drama series Ozark (2017–2022), for which she received critical acclaim and won three Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series and a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress.

Elizabeth Karlsen is an American–British film producer. Her career has spanned over three and a half decades, and In 2019, she was awarded the BAFTA award for Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema. Her work has garnered a total of 52 BAFTA nominations and wins, and 20 Academy Award® nominations and wins. In 2002, she co-founded Number 9 Films with production partner and husband, Stephen Woolley.

NEON Rated, LLC, doing business as Neon, is an American independent film production and distribution company founded in 2017 by CEO Tom Quinn and Tim League, who also was the co-founder of the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema chain. As of 2019, League is no longer involved with daily operations for the company.

<i>The Biggest Little Farm</i> 2018 American film

The Biggest Little Farm is a 2018 American documentary film, directed by John Chester. The film profiles the life of John Chester and his wife Molly as they acquire and establish themselves on Apricot Lane Farms in Moorpark, California.

<i>The Assistant</i> (2019 film) 2019 drama film directed by Kitty Green

The Assistant is a 2019 American drama film written, directed, produced, and edited by Kitty Green. The film stars Julia Garner as a junior assistant at a film production company. Matthew Macfadyen, Makenzie Leigh, Kristine Froseth, Jon Orsini, and Noah Robbins also star.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kitty Green</span> Australian writer and director

Kitty Green is an Australian film director, editor, producer, and screenwriter. The majority of her projects have been documentaries, while two have been narrative-driven stories. Green produced, directed, wrote, and edited the 2019 film The Assistant. Her work often portrays heavy topics such as unsolved murders and politics.

<i>The Gray Man</i> (2022 film) 2022 American film by Anthony and Joe Russo

The Gray Man is a 2022 American action thriller film directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, from a screenplay the latter co-wrote with Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, based on the 2009 novel of the same name by Mark Greaney. The film stars Ryan Gosling, Chris Evans, Ana de Armas, Jessica Henwick, Regé-Jean Page, Wagner Moura, Julia Butters, Dhanush, Alfre Woodard, and Billy Bob Thornton. Produced by the Russo brothers' company AGBO, it is the first film in a franchise based upon Greaney's Gray Man novels. The plot centers on CIA agent "Sierra Six", who is on the run from sociopathic ex-CIA agent and mercenary Lloyd Hansen (Evans) upon discovering corrupt secrets about his superior.

References

  1. ↑ "The Royal Hotel (18)". BBFC . 9 October 2023. Retrieved 9 October 2023.
  2. ↑ "The Royal Hotel (2023)". Box Office Mojo . Retrieved 20 December 2023.
  3. ↑ "The Royal Hotel". The Numbers . Retrieved 20 December 2023.
  4. 1 2 Vlessing, Etan (27 April 2022). "Neon Nabs Julia Garner's The Royal Hotel Thriller". The Hollywood Reporter . Archived from the original on 25 July 2023. Retrieved 25 July 2023.
  5. ↑ Quinn, Karl (24 November 2023). "The real-life roots of outback horror film The Royal Hotel" . The Sydney Morning Herald . Archived from the original on 25 November 2023. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
  6. ↑ Li, Shirley (4 October 2023). "The Royal Hotel Taps Into Every Female Traveler's Fears" . The Atlantic . Archived from the original on 5 October 2023. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
  7. ↑ Turner, Kayla (22 March 2024). "7 Biggest Changes The Royal Hotel Makes To The Terrifying True Story". Screen Rant . Retrieved 12 September 2024.
  8. ↑ Bergeson, Samantha (27 April 2022). "Neon Buys Assistant Team Julia Garner and Kitty Green's Next Film 'The Royal Hotel'". IndieWire . Archived from the original on 25 July 2023. Retrieved 25 July 2023.
  9. ↑ Yossman, K.J. (12 April 2022). "Matrix Stars Jessica Henwick, Hugo Weaving Join Julia Garner In Kitty Green's Thriller The Royal Hotel". Variety . Archived from the original on 25 July 2023. Retrieved 25 July 2023.
  10. ↑ Keast, Jackie (10 August 2022). "Toby Wallace joins cast of Kitty Green's 'The Royal Hotel'". The Latch . Archived from the original on 25 July 2023. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  11. ↑ Anderson, Stephanie (16 August 2022). "Inventing Drama: Cameras Are Rolling on Julia Garner-Fronted Aussie Flick The Royal Hotel". The Latch . Archived from the original on 25 July 2023. Retrieved 25 July 2023.
  12. 1 2 3 Canfield, David (6 October 2023). "How 'The Royal Hotel' Pulls Off the Most Potent Cinematic Tension of the Year". Vanity Fair . Retrieved 29 April 2024.
  13. ↑ Davis, Clayton (30 August 2023). "Telluride Lineup Includes World Premieres of 'Saltburn,' 'The Bikeriders' and 'Rustin' With Tributes for Yorgos Lanthimos and Wim Wenders". Variety . Retrieved 30 August 2023.
  14. ↑ "Program Guide" (PDF). Telluride Film Festival . Retrieved 30 August 2023.
  15. ↑ "The Convert, The Royal Hotel, The New Boy selected for TIFF". IF Magazine . 25 July 2023. Archived from the original on 25 July 2023. Retrieved 25 July 2023.
  16. ↑ "The Royal Hotel". Toronto International Film Festival . Archived from the original on 18 August 2023. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
  17. ↑ Bergeson, Samantha (7 September 2023). "'The Royal Hotel' Trailer: Julia Garner Is Trapped in a Living Nightmare for Kitty Green Reunion". IndieWire . Retrieved 4 October 2023.
  18. ↑ "The Royal Hotel". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango Media . Retrieved 27 January 2024. OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
  19. ↑ "The Royal Hotel". Metacritic . Fandom, Inc. Retrieved 16 December 2023.
  20. ↑ Linden, Sheri (3 September 2023). "The Royal Hotel Review: Julia Garner and Jessica Henwick in Kitty Green's Bruising Outback Drama". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved 24 October 2023.
  21. 1 2 Gates, Marya E. (5 October 2023). "The Royal Hotel". RogerEbert.com. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
  22. ↑ "Cinéfest reveals 2023 award winners". Sudbury.com. 28 September 2023.
  23. ↑ Cain, Sian (8 December 2023). "The Newsreader, Deadloch and Colin from Accounts lead TV nominations". The Guardian. Retrieved 9 December 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.