Author John Irving's "The World According to Garp" made a decent movie not just because the director and the stars were a perfect fit--it was an interesting study of eccentric lives and behavior, and the paths the characters took were worth following. Irving's "The Hotel New Hampshire" is a far less engaging story concerning the large family behind an American hotel who have further adventures in Vienna. Adapted and directed (sloppily) by Tony Richardson, the material--which is overly-concerned with sexual upsets and assorted humiliations--is ill-suited for the screen, and the misbegotten results almost derailed Jodie Foster's career as she attempted to move from teenage to adult roles. Foster and Rob Lowe are siblings who share a sexual attraction; their younger sister fears dwarfism; they meet a sexpot who hides from the world in a bear suit, etc. Young Lowe comes off as the star here; he's very easy and pretty pining for sis, but Beau Bridges, Nastassja Kinski, Matthew Modine, Paul McCrane, and wizened little Jennie Dundas are pretty much at a loss. The director's rhythm is woefully off (detectable right from the beginning) and the editing is a mess. The film is just a jumble of moments, tedious craziness and racy interludes. Worse, it is uncomfortably foul-mouthed, jaded, pretentious and wincingly unfunny. * from ****
Review of The Hotel New Hampshire
