In an outbreak, mothers in a hotel are fighting for more than just survival from the seemingly virus that is hitting the hotel and possibly the world. There is much more at stake than what may seem.
Written by Derrick Adams and Adam Kolodny from a story by Francesco Giannini who also directed, Hall is a film that puts all of its story and its action within one hotel where things are going wrong in many ways. The story seems simple enough, but as things evolve, it gets more complex and the characters bring the audience into their struggle and fight for survival. The use of a possible outbreak mixed in with other issues in the lead characters’ lives makes for a strong suspense while the story develops and it gives the film much more depth. A story of a disease or a plague that takes places within a confined location and builds up is something that has many layers that can connect with current times and the world at large as well as much more going on with a potential biblical connection and characters that connect with the audience.
The cast is led by strong female performances from Carolina Bartczak as Val who is trying to make her way through life and protect her daughter Kelly played by Bailey Thain. The mother-daughter duo sells their relationship quite well and they make the film work as they show an interesting increase in fear and worry as things escalate. Also giving a great performance is Yumiko Shaku as Naomi, her take on her character and how she deals with things thrown her way is something that is great to watch. The other performances around them are also quite good with Julian Richings being fun to watch as usual.
Another great aspect of Hall is how it looks. The cinematography by Graham Guertin Santerre is on point for the story and the location, making the most of the lighting and giving some great visuals with some sequences being just perfectly framed and timed. The work here shows great attention to details which once paired with the right editing leads to some sequences that are both beautiful and memorable. Hall is the kind of movie that has something to day and knows how to package its message in the right kind of images. Between the aforementioned cinematography and editing, the film also boasts great special effects that build and build as the story advances, giving the disease or virus more and more visual impact on the viewers. All of this put together helps great a powerful film that takes its time in how it deals with its subject and characters, something that leads to good suspense.
Hall is a slow slow burn of a film that is more than worth spending time with as it showcases fantastic performances, great storytelling, and visuals that perfectly support the story. Some of the sequences are perfectly framed; creating tableaux that stick in the mind long after the film is over. The film’s undertones and story come together to create an uncomfortable situation for all involved, including the viewer.