A Five Star Life
According to “A Five Star Life” opening credits, this film was made “with the support of the Leading Hotels of the World.” According to Wikipedia, this is one of largest collections luxury hotels in all over world which are regularly checked up on for ensure that they maintain their highest standards. Since it is about a hotel inspector, I thought they may go easy on any institution that let them shoot there.
However, this certain inspector Irene (played by Margherita Buy) finds something wrong with every single one these hotels that she visits; yet still these places are so damn beautiful you want to stay there anyways. This goes to show you that no press is bad press.
The stars in “A Five Star Life” refers to the rating system given to hotels across the world. A five star hotel is supposed be height of luxury, an unrivaled travel experience. Irene is “the mystery guest”: she comes into a hotel incognito as possible checks everything out reports back findings manager if too many negative answers pop up laptop clicks questions asked at registration desk then that particular place’s five star status could be in jeopardy.
Hotels try their hardest to figure out who inspector is during inspection time. In an ironic twist gender expectations director/co-writer Maria Sole Tognazzi has waiter point out “mystery guest” (it’s funny because it’s not). There’s also scene where men with big cigars being treated like kings while women have wait little longer get served at same bar. You know what rating Irene’s writing down for this joint.
“A Five Star Life” shows something not often seen in American cinema outside cop movies: It shows regular person doing her job. The script manages introduce other characters such as when brings two nieces along test how well does with families but large parts movie just follows around watches do various things related career choice she made for herself Geographical/architectural eye candy alone should keep people interested along constant stream information about what constitutes good or bad service might be enough to bring home movie awards night. I love it when learn something from our movies.
There was one thing that “A Five Star Life” looked like it might teach, and fear of being taught speaks volumes about how we’re trained as moviegoers these days. Silvia (played by Fabrizia Sacchi) tells her forty something sister Irene doesn’t have husband children; this is not strange for someone who spends 90% year traveling world over staying hotels nicer than most people ever will step foot in.
Loves job is not running nor has any psychological baggage but keeps playing no man kids card. So she looks at sister’s kinda crazy family think movie going tell us life incomplete without some guy’s babies after all?
Stefano Accorsi plays the role of Irene’s best friend, Andrea, who seems an obvious candidate for her walk into the sunset at the end of the film. Their relationship is enigmatic for much of “A Five Star Life,” until we learn that he was a former lover. When he accidentally gets Fabiana (Alessia Barela) pregnant, Andrea comes to Irene for advice; Fabiana wants to keep the baby with or without his support. This development should eliminate an ending where he convinces Irene to quit her job and live happily ever after with him, but stranger things have happened in movies.
There has to come a point in “A Five Star Life” when Irene wonders if Silvia is right about her status; it happens predictably after something terrible rocks her world. But how she gets there is not so predictable. Lesley Manville great actress and veteran of several Mike Leigh movies shows up at a Berlin hotel named one of the city’s “Leading Hotels of the World” to engage Margherita Buy in some friendly banter and conversation.
Manville’s character, Kate Sherman, has written a book about hypersexuality, gender issues and porn; Sherman says on TV that we’re losing intimacy, which sets off windmills in Irene’s mind for reasons known only to Tognazzi and God herself. The whole subplot is completely out of left field, though Manville is so convincing and interesting that it’s less painful than it sounds like it will be.
Tognazzi gets a great performance out of Buy; she’s on screen for most of “A Five Star Life,” always working even when she’s not working. She does what someone does who lives for their work: compulsively adheres to detail. It’s fun watching her notice things (a broken tile here, a surly concierge there) she can’t wait to report back on (in a comment card, of course).
There’s catharsis in watching her rip a hotel manager for his property’s snobbish treatment of a young newlywed couple on their first trip to a luxury hotel. The poor kids’ terror at appearing unrefined is so palpable that Irene feels protective one small note of empathy in an otherwise mechanical performance.
Buy also plays well with others. She gives off an auntie vibe around her nieces; she feels like the big sister Silvia never had; she has a strong urge to not sleep with Andrea. The actors complement nicely, and the film allows you to figure out details and relationships as it goes along which is nice.
I won’t spoil whether “A Five Star Life” surrenders to a Hollywood “you need a man!” ending or not, but I will say that Irene is in charge of her own destiny, and you may or may not be satisfied. It’s cheeky to say “your mileage may vary” about travel films, but your enjoyment will depend on how much you relate to Irene and her job (and Buy), and whether you like gorgeous hotels (and Manville) and globetrotting from one European city to another. I enjoyed the trip.
Watch A Five Star Life For Free On Solarmovies.