Keystone Hotel: A Sticky, Pie-Filled Mess of Slapstick

Is this actually worth your time?

If you have a soft spot for silent-era slapstick and don’t mind your humor served with a side of absolute chaos, sure. But if you hate repetition or get annoyed by people falling over for no reason, stay away. This is for the folks who want to see a hotel lobby turned into a pastry graveyard.

The whole premise is barely there. It’s basically just a frame to get as many people covered in goo as humanly possible. Honestly, I respect the commitment to the bit.

Watching that cross-eyed judge make his pick feels like watching a slow-motion car crash. You know the pie is coming. You’re just waiting for the exact second it hits someone’s chin.

Speaking of pies, there is so much custard. It’s like they had a surplus of bakery supplies and decided to settle it all in one afternoon. The Kops arrive, and you just know they aren't going to arrest anyone. They’re just going to get hit.

Random thoughts from the back row:

• The cleaning lady’s reaction is barely a reaction at all. She just kind of stands there while the world explodes.
• I’m pretty sure someone gets hit with a pie that was actually just a sponge, but it’s hard to tell through the grain.
• The pacing is frantic, which is fine, but it makes me miss the weird, quiet vibe of The Country Mouse.
• The Keystone Kops act like they’ve never seen a crime scene before. Which, to be fair, they probably haven’t.

The movie doesn't try to be anything other than a mess. It’s not trying to be a masterpiece like The Beauty Shop. It’s just loud, messy fun.

Sometimes the scene goes on for about thirty seconds too long. You start to feel the exhaustion of the actors just trying to keep the momentum going. 🥧

It’s goofy. It’s pointless. I laughed twice and felt mildly annoyed for the rest of it. That feels like a win for a film this old.