Common Sense Media Review
By Jeffrey M. Anderson
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Sympathetic character with Asperger's in mature crime story.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 16+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
The Night Clerk
What's the Story?
In THE NIGHT CLERK, Bart Bromley (Tye Sheridan), a young man with Asperger's syndrome, works the 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. shift at the front desk of a small hotel. Hoping to learn to improve his social interactions, Bart has placed secret cameras in the rooms to study people. One night he spies a woman being beaten to death by a mysterious man; only the perpetrator's tattoo is visible. Because of Bart's odd behavior, a police detective (John Leguizamo) starts to suspect him, and Bart's worrying, protective mother (Helen Hunt) tries to shield him. Meanwhile, a new woman, Andrea (Ana de Armas), checks in to the hotel. Since her brother also had Asperger's, she understands Bart's behavior. They become friends, and Bart begins to nurse romantic feelings for her. But the murderer is still on the loose ...
Is It Any Good?
This crime drama with emotionally touching performances is surprisingly low-key and quiet, taking advantage of the wee hours of the dark during which much of the story takes place. Writer-director Michael Cristofer, also an actor and an award-winning playwright, hasn't made a film since 2001 (although he did co-write the 2017 boxing biopic Chuck), and his earlier works dealt in much seamier material. The Night Clerk is a welcome improvement, relying on the excellent Sheridan to effectively convey Bart's social awkwardness and frustration, but also deep intelligence and breadth of feeling. It goes beyond any potentially gimmicky performance; it gets to the heart of things.
The other key to the movie's success is de Armas, whose Andrea shows great compassion to Bart, even after things turn uneasy between them. Cristofer creates an alluring atmosphere, using the night air and the hotel's small size to create an insulated feel, almost as if this were a dream of a film noir. Where The Night Clerk doesn't quite live up to expectations is in some of its character motivations and in its murder plot. It's serviceable and effective, but it lacks any sharp twists and turns to keep die-hard mystery fans guessing. Fortunately, the characters are interesting enough that they make the movie worth a look.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about The Night Clerk's depiction of violence. Does Bart's emotionless reaction to it change its impact?
How is sex depicted? What values are imparted? How did you react to Bart's clinical explanation of why people fall in love?
How is Asperger's syndrome depicted here? What did you learn? Does the movie seem fair and honest? Does it rely on any stereotypes?
What's the appeal of murder stories? Why do we like to watch them?
Movie Details
- In theaters : February 21, 2020
- On DVD or streaming : April 7, 2020
- Cast : Tye Sheridan , Ana de Armas , Helen Hunt , John Leguizamo
- Director : Michael Cristofer
- Inclusion Information : Latino Movie Actor(s) , Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Saban Films
- Genre : Thriller
- Run time : 90 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : language, some sexual references, brief nudity and violent images
- Last updated : February 8, 2022
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate