28 Hotel Rooms: A Love Story on the Run

Ever wondered what it’d feel like to have a romance that’s confined to dimly lit hotel rooms? That’s pretty much what “28 Hotel Rooms” is about. Directed by Matt Ross (you know, Gavin Belson from HBO’s Silicon Valley!), it’s about two people, played by Chris Messina and Marin Ireland, who meet during travels and live out their affair in—you guessed it—28 different hotel rooms. A peculiar setup for sure, like a Melodifestivalen entry that keeps changing wardrobe.

The whole thing is an odd dance between romance and reality, and the performances are as raw as a freshly peeled potatis. Messina and Ireland? They’re like those actors you see in every other indie flick at Stockholm’s Filmfestival but can never quite pinpoint. Genuinely earnest, maybe too earnest sometimes, but it feels like they’re out there acting for their lives.

I’m telling you, some moments reminded me of that peculiar weekend in Gothenburg when I ended up having smörgåstårta with someone I just met on Liseberg. Unexpected, full of laughter and awkward conversations, just like these characters who keep bumping into real emotions within artificial walls. Man, the way these hotel rooms become both cage and cocoon… it’s like IKEA but with metaphorical walls.

Not everything hits the mark tho. Some scenes drag a bit, like trying to make that perfect köttbulle but ending up with just a mashed mess. It’s intimate but can feel suffocating after a while. If you love dialogue-driven stories with no frills—and you’re willing to dive into two people’s emotional guts—then this might be your cinematic du gamla, du fria moment.

So, grab some knäckebröd and cheese, maybe even a little whisky. It’s worth a watch if you’re into unraveling human connections and if, now and then, you wonder whether love is meant to be chased or cherished. Feel me?

Check the trailer below