The new film from writer/director, Michael Cristofer, The Night Clerk has one of the most effectively unsettling character introductions I’ve seen in recent memory. We meet Bart (Tye Sheridan) in the opening scene, seemingly at work, watching over security cam footage, but you very quickly learn something is off. The footage is all from various rooms in the hotel, peeking in on private conversations and people simply going about their business. Bart also does a strange thing where he would repeat certain phrases that some of the people say in the footage, in some cases even rewinding and rewatching so he can get the inflection just right. And just when things couldn’t get weirder, his mother, Ethel (Helen Hunt) calls him from upstairs, telling him his dinner is ready.
Later in the film, Bart is revealed to be on the spectrum, specifically with Asperger’s syndrome. It makes life hard because he struggles to connect with people. The odd opening scene soon makes more sense as you learn it’s how he tries to adapt and rehearse social situations, so that it comes easier for him, though that rarely ends up being the case. Sheridan rarely gets the chance to play a character as noticeably offbeat as this, and while certain moments on his portrayal of the condition verge on going a touch too far, he solidly handles a tough tonal tightrope that explores the way loneliness can affect someone, and how hard it is to fully open ourselves up to other people.
The basic premise has a very old fashioned, almost Hitchcockian quality to it. Bart works as a night clerk at a hotel, where he has one room that he hides cameras in for his video collection that we saw earlier. One night, he sends into that room a woman, who is later murdered. The footage doesn’t reveal who the perpetrator is, but his odd behavior – motivated in large part by his desire to keep his cameras a secret – captures the attention of Detective Johnny Espada (John Leguizamo), who thinks Bart might be involved somehow.
Meanwhile, Bart is transferred to another hotel, a part of the same chain, and tries to move on. But then, in comes Andrea Rivera (Ana de Armas), entering like a classic femme fatale, soon making a friendly relationship with Bart. From here, the film takes a bit of a turn with its groove. While the setup might imply a story more propulsive, the film instead takes a path that is more a melancholic study of Bart and Andrea, who are both dealing with circumstances that seem to alienate them from the world around them. Andrea is having an affair with a married man, and it seems that the relationship might not be as fulfilling as she once thought, yet she still clings to it.
It seems like the filmmakers are very much aware and intentional in this narrative swerve. The whole mystery about who the killer is barely registers. When a certain character appears on screen for the first time, it becomes very obvious who the killer is. When the big reveal is made, it isn’t treated like a huge surprise, even the music cue felt muted. Knowing this, the film places its care and attention squarely on the characters, and specifically the dynamic between Bart and Andrea. It’s begins like a classic thriller and gradually lessens its scope into something that is far more intimate and personal as it goes along. It’s often in the film’s most quiet moments where it shines the most.
What ultimately keeps The Night Clerk engaging has less to do with its roots in old fashioned thrillers and film noir, and more to do with the characters and the way they try to make sense of the world around them. The performances are solid from supporting players like Leguizamo and Hunt, but it’s ultimately Sheridan and Armas where the film’s heart really lies, and the two of them have a strong, and occasionally moving, dynamic that keeps you invested in the story. There is a fair amount of contrivances and conveniences to the plot mechanics, but I think it’s forgivable mostly because it provides more opportunities for the characters to explore different dimensions of themselves, and opening them up to new challenges. It’s a fascinating and thoroughly watchable film that is elevated by two strong lead performances that make the most out of the kind of off-the-beaten path roles you would only find with a little project like this. On that level, the film works quite well, and though I doubt it will leave a lasting impression as the year goes on, it’s absolutely worth a look.