Hotel de Love is an obscure comedy from Australian writer-director Craig Rosenberg that is worth the wait after an initial slow start. What begins like just another teen angst whine fest suddenly becomes positively Shakespearian fun in the tradition of Midsummer Night's Dream, with twin brothers trapped by a lost early love for all the wrong reasons.
When the gal of their dreams shows up ten years later with her fiancée at a bizarre honeymoon hotel, the twins start a mad campaign for her affections and haul the audience along with them. The twin's dysfunctional parents are added to the mixups as guests of the hotel along with one brother's hotel palm reader girlfriend.
The actors probably save what could have been just a remake of half a dozen late fifties or early sixties Hollywood comedies, but the film is written fast and is self-satirical and punctuated with whacky sets and excellent music choices.
Australian actor Simon Bossell stars as the obsessed brother who never gets the girl. American sci-fi audiences might recognize him from a guest shot on Farscape in the 2nd season's "A Clockwork Nebari" episode. His frantic physical comedy steals most of the movie.
Saffron Burrows is the object of obsession. Burrows is a promising British actress who played Dr. Susan McCallister opposite the likes of Thomas Jane, LL Cool J, Michael Rapaport and Samuel L. Jackson in Renny Harlin's flawed underwater thriller Deep Blue Sea (1999) and also co-starred with Freddie Prinze Jr. in the much more unexciting Wing Commander the same year.
She's very good here, however, reminiscent of Paula Prentiss and Geena Davis. Obviously an actress in need of a good script.
Aden Young also does OK as the brother who wins Saffron in the end. He's a Canadian actor who looks like Farscape's Ben Browder, but he's not quite as funny.
The Farscape connections are interesting though, because one reason this film may eventually acquire cult status in the future is a brief bit part topless scene with Australian actress Raelee Hill, who was Farscape's Sikozu (2002-2003). Male Scapers won't be disappointed, believe me.
When the gal of their dreams shows up ten years later with her fiancée at a bizarre honeymoon hotel, the twins start a mad campaign for her affections and haul the audience along with them. The twin's dysfunctional parents are added to the mixups as guests of the hotel along with one brother's hotel palm reader girlfriend.
The actors probably save what could have been just a remake of half a dozen late fifties or early sixties Hollywood comedies, but the film is written fast and is self-satirical and punctuated with whacky sets and excellent music choices.
Australian actor Simon Bossell stars as the obsessed brother who never gets the girl. American sci-fi audiences might recognize him from a guest shot on Farscape in the 2nd season's "A Clockwork Nebari" episode. His frantic physical comedy steals most of the movie.
Saffron Burrows is the object of obsession. Burrows is a promising British actress who played Dr. Susan McCallister opposite the likes of Thomas Jane, LL Cool J, Michael Rapaport and Samuel L. Jackson in Renny Harlin's flawed underwater thriller Deep Blue Sea (1999) and also co-starred with Freddie Prinze Jr. in the much more unexciting Wing Commander the same year.
She's very good here, however, reminiscent of Paula Prentiss and Geena Davis. Obviously an actress in need of a good script.
Aden Young also does OK as the brother who wins Saffron in the end. He's a Canadian actor who looks like Farscape's Ben Browder, but he's not quite as funny.
The Farscape connections are interesting though, because one reason this film may eventually acquire cult status in the future is a brief bit part topless scene with Australian actress Raelee Hill, who was Farscape's Sikozu (2002-2003). Male Scapers won't be disappointed, believe me.