Review of Hotel Chevalier

Hokay... if you've gone to the theatre to see Darjeeling Limited lately, it is preceded by this short film prologue to the feature presentation. Though shot before The Darjeeling Limited, apparently the idea behind it is to create a better understanding of Natalie Portman's character's relationship to Jason Schwartzman's character. This is unnecessary. In fact, as short films go, this one does not make it high on my list of favorites, just to be polite.

It does have its moments and it successfully stands alone. That's what's important. That's why this short gets as many stars as it has in my rating. In fact, for Anderson enthusiasts, this short film is most interesting because it shows his approach to style as it would be confined to a single hotel room. It also has a nude Natalie Portman, which is in fact something to consider.

However... whatever. The Darjeeling Limited itself doesn't need this, and this short is more curious than it is revelation-creating. I honestly don't understand why it's necessary or why Anderson didn't just go ahead and find a way to expand upon it a little in a non-Darjeeling way to make it a bit stronger by itself.

So, in conclusion, show up late to The Darjeeling Limited. You're not missing anything.

--PolarisDiB