Customer Reviews

Four Rooms [VHS]

5 star:		(71)
4 star:		(31)
3 star:		(16)
2 star:		(11)
1 star:		(18)

 

 

"Four Rooms" is far more entertaining than you would expect from its generally negative reviews. Which is not to say that any of it is a masterpiece but if you enjoyed "Love American Style" on television and are not put off by a raunchy take on that anthology concept you should make an effort to view this film. It was made between the time Tarantino made "Pulp Fiction" and worked on "Dusk Till Dawn" with Rodriquez. Many in the large cast are Tarantino and Rodriquez regulars. Here are a few of the reasons to watch each of the four stories:

"The Missing Ingredient" - Madona has simply never looked better and her "come get me" dress will burn your eyeballs. Alicia Witt plays her stock alienated teen and delivers sarcasm as only she can.

"The Wrong Man" - Alexander Rockwell directed this segment shortly after directing "In the Soup" so he already knew how to get the most out of Jennifer Beals. Her diatribe about Ted's sex organ is a cinema classic.

"The Misbehavers" - Rodriquez directs his favorite actor Antonio Banderas in something that is a throwback to classic Laurel and Hardy. Not only do his two kids misbehave when left alone in their hotel room, but their misbehavior is so comprehensive that the closing shot reveals a room of total anarchy. It is wonderful slapstick on a huge scale, with comic timing worthy of the Laural and Hardy and the Marx Brothers.

"The Man From Hollywood" - This has the best script with Tarantino reserving the best stuff for his own character. He even reprises the "tasty beverage" line from "Pulp Fiction. Beals has already found her way to this room by the time bellboy Roth arrives and she delivers more good lines. I was impressed that Tarantino built up his suspense "before" the contest began and then did not try to extend the suspense but ended things on the first attempt.

The best bit in the whole film might be Roth's phone call to his boss. Marisa Tomei answers the phone in a room full of comatose post-New Years Eve partygoers. She then does a version of her "My Cousin Vinnie" expert witness routine, this time concerning types of handguns. In the foreground the entire time are the only other conscious (but totally stoned) inhabitants of the room. They are playing against each other in a video game. One just stares in stunned fascination at the screen, holding the controller but not using it, as the other player maniacally manipulates the other controller throughout the entire phone conversation.

Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.

This is a strange movie to talk about... Some people love it, some people hate it, and if you watch it, you'll understand why.

When you take each story individually, it can get cumbersome and un-entertaining. But if you focus on Ted the Bellboy (Tim Roth), it becomes quite hilarious. His reactions to the situations he's put it crack me up every time. Not to mention, in the third room Antonio Banderas once again makes me say, I want to be Antonio Banderas.

At any rate, this is a movie that you should see at least once, because this movie defies easy recomendation. If you just take the word of people who don't like it, you could miss out on a great movie.

As for the DVD itself, it is completely lacking in features and the sound is just a little off, but after the first viewing you hardly notice.

It loses a half star because the movie is definately one you have to be in a certain mood for, and one and a half stars because the DVD presentation is sub-par, but still overall a good movie and worth buying the DVD if you really like it.

Ted is a lonely bellhop. He's got the whole hotel all to himself on New Year's eve. So, what else can he do but be the lap dog for every requesting customer. But, he only has to worry about four particular, and sometimes peculiar, rooms. Each room is a story involving ted, directed by four different directors. Call it a collaboration of different comedic talents. So, let's go through them, one by one.

Story one: The Secret ingriediant
Not really much to go on here. A coven of witches are trying to ressurect some virgin wicth who was wrongly accused of a crime. Not really that funny. It's a bumpy start but it gets better. ted stays the same goofy self all through the movie.

Story Two: the wrong man.
A mistaken identity sex game in which ted accidently found himself in. Constantly he tries to escape the room. Funnier than the last one. Still bumpy, though.

Story Three: The Misbehavers (Directed by Robert Rodriguez)
Funny story of a couple leaving their kids in the room to go celabrating the new years eve at a party. These kids are bad news. They get their hands into any and everything. Poor ted runs rampant to make sure they won't misbehave or else the father will kill him. ted at his best here. hilarity incarnate. Explosively funny.

Story four: The Bet (Directed by Quentin Tarantino.)
An after hours new years eve party with a witty group of filmakers who have had too much to drink. Quentin stars. Bruce willis too. Ted stays the same, quirky and naive as well. Funny and different, but quick on the jokes. There is one take where there is just one uncut shot, lasting well over ten minutes. They must've rehearsed that one for hours.

the overall feel of the movie is unique and full of laughs.

Enjoy!

I cannot understand how people couldn't like this.... Wait a minute, I can understand. It may not be to everyones taste but I think its one of the funniest movies ever created. The actors are obviously having one hell of a time and it really makes the movie more enjoyable. Bruce Willis has a hillarious unbilled Cameo in the fourth story. (Which is my favourite story) Tim Roth's Jerry Lewis Impersenation is the star of the film. See it for yourself and make up your own mind.

After reading a pompous and preachy review following a 1 star rating, I had to throw in my 2 cents. For one, I dont believe in belittling another person based on their opinion. I loved this film. I have a great appreciation for anything that can be original in this age. Originality is getting harder and harder to achieve. The first room (story) is pretty cheesy, but it gets better with each room thereafter. The 2nd room is humourous. 3rd room even funnier. The 4th and final room is an insanely hilarious finale. Based on the first room, I was going to give this film 4 stars, but I couldnt bring myself to giving it less than 5. If you are into big budget box office (generic) movies, then this probably isnt the film for you. But if you have an appreciation for original thought and artistic brilliance, then you have to check this out. As for our small minded aforementioned reviewer, stick to your "titanics" and save your reviews for a genre that you understand.

Look this movie is a great, fun little film PERIOD. Tim Roth steals the show from a huge cast,strutting all the way. Just know that this film is 4 different stories with nothing in common but poor Ted the Bellboy. Roth is hilarious as he tries to get through New Year's eve without getting shot, stabbed, or thrown out a window.(oh yeah he did get stabbed didn't he?) Antonio, David Proval, Tarantino, and an uncredited and stoned Bruce Willis take the unusual walk to the funny side and thrive.(especially antonio) Trust me rent this film and you will wish you would have bought it. The best in short attention span film and a MUST HAVE for Tarantino/Rodriquez followers.

Tim Roth is absolutely hilarious in this movie. Nobody could've done it better! Clever concept, very funny, rent it first, though - I did, I loved it, but not everyone will. Enjoy!

Being a huge fan of Quentin Tarantino I decided to rent Four Rooms the other night. Little did I realize, I would be wasting a good hour and a half of my life. I knew right away it was not going to be half as good as his other work, but my main expectation was to see my favorite actress, Marisa Tomei, in the film. I kinda figured she would be in the movie a bit longer since she was placed on the cover in a blonde wig, but that was just a "low blow from Tarantino". Marisa shows up for a grand three minutes. You can't fully blame Tarantino for this movie, because 3 other directors helped him to make this movie. Basically I was expecting much more, but I realized it was just a series of one-acts and should only be appreciated as that. The acting is good, but its just simply bizarre, and leaves you wanting more (Marisa Tomei)

In 1992 a group of first time directors released their movies to a fairley captive Sundance Film Festival audience. And two years later a few of them had some spare time and thought "Lets have a party and call it a movie!" Four Rooms is that movie. Either loved or reviled, I actually like it. Sure it's a little silly in places but that's the charm of this obvious secret film crew party movie(theres an oxymoron if i've ever seen it). But this is what Four Rooms is! Think about it - a movie set on new years eve, every scene involved drinking alcohol and ALL of the actors would have worked for scale if they were paid at all(money I'm sure went on buying MORE alcohol to fuel the back-stage party). I'm not being sarcastic at all when I say that because I get this movie. It is not the follow up to Pulp Fiction or El Mariachi or In the Soup, ect. It IS funny for what it is - Four friends doing something they love and not trying to live up to their small past success. Tim Roth in a part originaly intended for Steve Buscemi(turning it down only because he felt he had already done the bell boy part in the Coen Bro's Barton Fink), really has fun in this role. His range is evident in all of the rooms from bliss to screaming bloody murder, and no matter what anyone says I think he ties the movie together quite neatly. Don't expect to get a cinema classic but insted top up your champagne glass, adjust your paper hat and and enjoy the party

After the first 15 minutes of this movie, I considered turning it off so I wouldn't regret wasting an hour and a half of my life. But before I had a chance to turn it off, two fairly attractive women take their shirts off. That convinced me to leave it on a little longer to give it a chance. And I was rewarded. The humor in this movie is definitely dark and odd, but stories number 3 and 4 in this movie are great. Quentin Tarantino breaks out with more impressive dialogue and the movie ends with a bang. I could never really figure out Tim Roth's performance, however...it reminded me a little too much of Mr. Bean. But I guess that's how all British people act, right? Ha. Just kidding. Anyway, this movie is worth a shot for Tarantino fans and people who like strange movies, but not for people expecting a laugh-out-loud hilarious movie or one that follows formulas.