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The Night Clerk

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A voyeuristic, slightly autistic young hotel clerk (Tye Sheridan) witnesses a murder in a room where the little creep has installed surveillance cameras. The detective on the case (John Leguizamo) thinks he did it. As the net tightens, he becomes enamored by a lovely new guest (an overqualified Ana de Armas) and believes he is the only one who can prevent a second murder. 

It’s a muted, contemplative, thrill-free thriller with an intriguing twist at the end. Ironically, I was put off by Sheridan’s performance in the title role. The young actor received praise for his work in Mud (2012) and Ready Player One (2018), but here he seems to confuse big acting with good acting. Yes, he’s supposed to be irritating, but probably more sympathetically so. Helen Hunt and Johnathon Schaech also appear.

(90 min)