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Motel Destino

Play trailer Poster for Motel Destino 2024 1h 52m Drama Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
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73% Tomatometer 22 Reviews Popcornmeter 0 Ratings
The neon-hued Motel Destino is a roadside sex hotel under the burning blue skies of the coast of Northern Brazil, run by the boorish Elias and his frustrated, beautiful wife Dayana. When 21 year-old Heraldo finds himself at the motel, after messing up a hit and going on the run from both the police and the gang he let down, Dayana finds herself intrigued and lets him stay. As the two navigate a dance of power, desire and liberation, a dangerous plan for freedom emerges. In this tropical noir, loyalties and desires intertwine, revealing that destiny has its own enigmatic design.

Critics Reviews

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Justin Chang The New Yorker Set at a seedy roadside motel where the clientele never stops moaning, it’s a feverishly shambling erotic thriller starring three very game actors in a romantic triangle that plays like James M. Cain with sex toys. May 30, 2024 Full Review Valerie Complex Deadline Hollywood Daily However, despite its gripping start and lush cinematography, the film ultimately loses its way, bogged down by a sluggish middle act and narrative inconsistencies. May 25, 2024 Full Review David Rooney The Hollywood Reporter Despite its flaws, Motel Destino has mood, rawness and atmosphere to burn, fueled by Amine Bouhafa’s score, which becomes steadily more disquieting as it ratchets up the urgency. May 24, 2024 Full Review Hilary A White Sunday Independent (Ireland) Think The Postman Always Rings Twice with flip-flops and cachaça cocktails. Rated: 4/5 May 8, 2025 Full Review Philip Bagnall Loud and Clear Reviews While you might be able to foresee how Motel Destino will end, the enjoyment lies not in the climax, but in the journey to get there. Rated: 3.5/5 May 5, 2025 Full Review Philip Concannon The Skinny The 16mm cinematography from the great cinematographer Hélène Louvart creates a feverish atmosphere, both in the neon-lit interiors and the sun-bleached exteriors, while the constant moans of ecstasy on the soundtrack hilariously add to the mood. Rated: 3/5 May 5, 2025 Full Review Read all reviews

Cast & Crew

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Karim Aïnouz

Director

Igor Xavier

Actor

Nataly Rocha

Actor

Fábio Assunção

Actor

Wislan Esmeraldo

Screenwriter

Karim Aïnouz

Screenwriter

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Motel Destino

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Movie Info

Synopsis The neon-hued Motel Destino is a roadside sex hotel under the burning blue skies of the coast of Northern Brazil, run by the boorish Elias and his frustrated, beautiful wife Dayana. When 21 year-old Heraldo finds himself at the motel, after messing up a hit and going on the run from both the police and the gang he let down, Dayana finds herself intrigued and lets him stay. As the two navigate a dance of power, desire and liberation, a dangerous plan for freedom emerges. In this tropical noir, loyalties and desires intertwine, revealing that destiny has its own enigmatic design.
Director
Karim Aïnouz
Producer
Janaína Bernardes, Fabiano Gullane, Caio Gullane, André Novis, Gabrielle Tana, Hélène Théodoly
Screenwriter
Wislan Esmeraldo, Karim Aïnouz, Mauricio Zacharias
Production Co
Cinema Inflamável, Gullane
Genre
Drama, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
Brazilian Portuguese
Runtime
1h 52m