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starring: Rob Lowe, Jodie Foster, Paul McCrane, Beau Bridges, Lisa Banesdirected by: Tony Richardson
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Binding: VHS Tape
EAN: 9786302468137
Format: NTSC
ISBN: 6302468132
Label: Video Tr/Anchor Bay
Manufacturer: Video Tr/Anchor Bay
Publisher: Video Tr/Anchor Bay
Sales Rank: 50666
Studio: Video Tr/Anchor Bay
Theatrical Release Date: March 09, 1984
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Editorial Review:
Amazon.com:
Tony Richardson's adaptation of The Hotel New Hampshire proves that the unique qualities of John Irving's fiction are accessible in print and elusive on screen. (Not surprisingly, Irving's books were not truly successful as films until Irving himself adapted The Cider House Rules, although some viewers will prefer The World According to Garp.) Here, Richardson distills the essence of Irving but misses the author's dominant themes; the result is a film that follows Irving closely and understands its characters without ever giving them complete and coherent personalities. Without that essential ingredient, this film--about the exploits of a highly eccentric and dysfunctional family--grows thin and repetitious. We're left to enjoy the quirks of a fine ensemble cast, and the resilience of a family that has learned to survive by 'passing open windows' (in other words, avoiding suicide no matter how tempting).
Beau Bridges is the Berry family patriarch and resident free spirit of the Hotel New Hampshire, where his children thrive on liberal parenting, a parade of unusual patrons, and their own lust for life, love, and--in the case of incestuous siblings John (Rob Lowe) and Frannie (Jodie Foster)--each other. Their coming-of-age tales are often a joy to behold, and Richardson draws some excellent performances from his young, stellar cast. What's missing here is a sense of deeper meaning and resonance; the film seems oddly random, while Irving's book clearly conveys an affectionate fascination with the tenacity of the human spirit. --Jeff Shannon
Customer Reviews
Average Rating: 
Rating:  - for people who find running with scissors entertaining
Annoying film about buggered up East Coasters unleashing their ids. Jarring disfunction-junction setting that wants to be sick and cute all at once.
Rating: - Throw It Out the Open Windows
This is truly a terrible film, and not in a great campy-terrible, "Attack of the Killer Tomatoes" terrible, but just poorly written, sloppily directed and edited, and un- or under-motivated.
One of the main problems was a genuine inconsistency in tone, where the director apparently couldn't decide if he was making a Keystone Kops farce or a bittersweet comedy. I knew I was in for a bad trip when, for no apparent reason, he sped up the film when Rob Lowe was making a football play, making ... Read More
Rating:  - A chopped-up mix of eccentricity in HOTEL NEW HAMPSHIRE
That the exploits of the very odd (to say the least) Berry family contains some wonderful performances from the young Jodie Foster and Rob Lowe in Tony Richardson's adaptation of John Irving's THE HOTEL NEW HAMPSHIRE goes without saying; but the chopped-up manner in which Richardson has handled Irving's narrative also goes without saying that it is a terrible hack job that flits quickly from scene to scene hardly allowing any of Irving's characters to develop, much less breathe.What we have here, in short, ... Read More
Rating:  - stange yet...
I really dug this film. The cast I thought was quite good. Although I agree that Susie the bear shoulda been played by Amanda Plummer instead of Natasha Kinksi.
A rather underated film...showing a bit of the lesbian in Jodie Foster onscreen..
There are some uncomfortable bits especially in the incest bwtween Foster & Lowes Brother & Sister.. But, all in all a marvel of a little film worth seeking out.
Rating: - The BEST
I agree completely with B. Alden! The haters don't know what they're talking about! This movie has been in my top five all time favorites since I first saw it 15 years ago. It is the best adaptation of an Irving book ever (and yes, I am a huge fan of his). Sharp, funny, memorable writing and a spot on cast make this simply one of the best movies.
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