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12 Rounds Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed movies.
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$9.99 Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed movies.
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Chelsea Walls
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MPAA RATING: R for language
Starring Rosario Dawson, Vincent D'Onofrio, Kris Kristofferson, Robert Sean Leonard, Natasha Richardson, Uma Thurman, Steve Zahn, and Christopher Walken
The residents of the Chelsea Hotel in New York City, young and full of expectations, mingle with the old hotel ghosts and guests, ultimately becoming interchangeable. They form a community, linked by their dreams. The Chelsea Hotel never really leaves the people who live there, nor do they ever really leave it. (Lions Gate Films)
| GENRE(S): | Drama |
| WRITTEN BY: | Nicole Burdette (also play) |
| DIRECTED BY: | Ethan Hawke |
| RELEASE DATE: |
DVD: August 6, 2002 Video: August 6, 2002 Theatrical: April 19, 2002 |
| RUNNING TIME: | 109 minutes, Color |
| ORIGIN: | USA |
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
The average user rating for this movie is 6.8 (out of 10) based on 9 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
Matthew P gave it a0:
Ethan Hawke obviously has no idea how to make a movie. From the beginning, I feel like I'm watching actors act, not characters in a story. The film rushes me around to several scenes and nothing from any of them sticks (the bad camerawork makes an impression though). Plus everyone is just spouting pseudo-philosophical jargon. Hasn't Hawke taken Creative Writing 101? SHOW, Don't tell...This film actually made me angry. I couldn't finish it. It's the worst movie I've seen in a while.
Adam M gave it an8:
I thought that the movie was above avg. It did have a unique plot, but some of the senes were kind of lengthy. I have been by this place on my rollerblades going to the chelsea skate park on the pier. Anyways I like the music and the art keep these movies coming. THANKS.
PJ gave it a2:
I don't understand the series of 10's this film earned in the user ratings. If a film like Citizen Kane represents a generally accepted level of supreme fillmmaking, and therefore worthy of a 10, Chelsea Walls is nowhere near that mark. In addition, the notion that anyone giving this film a poor review, is either not very bright or didn't view the film with an open mind, is rather immature. This film was recommended to me by a friend, with whom I share a similar taste in film. So, I went into this expecting to like the Chelsea Walls...but that's not how it turned out. First off, the grainy digital picture and lifeless camerawork make the visuals an absolute chore to take in. The dim interior and exterior lighting doesn't help matters any. As far as the actual performances go, there were a few actors that turned in intermittently compelling performances. However, the amount of time devoted to most of the characters is brief which doesn't allow for much development. Not only were the individual story arcs quite thin, they also failed to interweave in a manner that added anything of value to the plot line. In general, everything about this film seemed very contrived and amateurish. It plays more like a documentary than an ensemble drama. Had this been a documentary chronicling the lives of actual Chelsea residents, I would've been more receptive, and been able to take the characters seriously. Yet, it's a fictional tale of struggling artists pretentiously portrayed by established actors in somber settings. The most pressing question this film raises, is just what the filmmakers were trying to express about the Chelsea and its residents. Apparently, what was once a grand hotel that housed some of histories greatest American artists, is now nothing more than a run-down haven for aimless deadbeats who's personal problems will prevent them from ever making great art. That seemed to be the sentiment of the two cops in the film, and is what makes them, sadly, the only two characters I could really identify with. If I had to describe this film in one word, that word would be "bleak."
toto gave it a9:
I´ve just seen it (already started). I really enjoyed it and I guess that´s how it has to be; I ´ll have to accept the fact some people won´t like it... we´re all different after all. However, I´d be surely satisfied by knowing that everyone was caught by at least some fragment of it. That is, we´re all different in this world, but deep in the heart, we´re all the same. Good bye
Matt gave it a 3:
A bad movie is still a bad movie, all pompous pretentiousness and teenage anxst aside.
Kelly W. gave it a 10:
This movie, contrary to one of the "official" reviews, DOES grab you by the throat. Whether you are a fellow "Chelsea-ite" or not, this movie expresses the human condition in a way that no one will miss. After watching this movie and living through the actors, you become part of the Chelsea in a way that is impossible to express. Ethan Hawke did a wonderful job invoking the ghosts of this beautifuly haunting hotel. This movie is the next best thing to living there. Robert Sean Leonard and Rosario Dawson bring a combined reality to all of the residents of the Chelsea--past, present and future. If you have never lived in the Chelsea Hotel, watch this movie...You'll be there next week.
Matt W. gave it a 10:
I think this movie shows a great deal about the human condition and our relationships. There is so much said with so few words. All one has to do is just WATCH the film and take the characters into themselves and relate it to their own experiences. No one can tell me that this isn't a brilliant film that captivates it's audience...if the audience would just give it a shot.
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