One New York Night: A Breezy, Slightly Chaotic Whodunit

Is it worth your time?

If you like those old black-and-white mysteries where everyone talks fast and wears fancy suits, yeah, this is a fun hour. If you get annoyed by people making impossibly bad choices just to keep a plot moving, you might roll your eyes until they hurt. It’s light, it’s snappy, and it’s very much a product of its time.

Foxhall Ridgeway is our guy. He shows up from the West, fresh off the boat or train or whatever, and lands in a murder plot before he can even unpack his socks. Typical New York, right?

The Hotel Life

The whole thing takes place in this hotel that feels like it has about fifty doors for every hallway. People are constantly popping in and out of rooms they shouldn't be in. The telephone operator, Phoebe, is clearly the smartest person in the building, even if she spends most of her time just listening to everyone else's secrets. She has this way of looking at Foxhall like he’s a golden retriever who just learned how to use a doorknob.

I couldn't help but think of how much lighter this feels than something like The Shackles of Truth. It doesn't want to weigh you down with heavy moral dilemmas. It just wants to keep you guessing who dropped the gun.

Odd Little Moments

• There’s a Countess involved, and she is very anxious. You can see her sweating through the scene, which is honestly kind of relatable given the situation.
• The dialogue is so fast you’ll miss half the jokes if you’re checking your phone. Put the phone away.
• I’m pretty sure I spotted a background actor just wandering aimlessly in the lobby for three straight shots. He didn't know where he was going. Neither did I.

The pacing is a bit weird. Sometimes they stop to explain something for way too long, and then other times a huge plot twist happens while you’re reaching for your popcorn and you almost miss it. It’s not perfect. It’s not a masterpiece. But there’s a charm to that, isn't there? It feels like it was put together by people who were just happy to be on a set.

I’ve seen more intense mysteries, like the grit in Mamis mkvleli, but that’s a totally different flavor. This movie is more like a quick cup of coffee at 2 AM. It gets the job done and keeps you awake.

When the big reveal finally drops, don't overthink the logic. Just smile at the absurdity of it all. It’s New York, after all. Weird stuff happens in hotels. 🕵️‍♂️