The Royal Hotel (2023) review – A tense, slow-burn psychological thriller set in the Australian outback

Kitty Green’s directorial debut feature film, The Assistant (2019), was an impressive claustrophobic psychological drama that offered a powerful critique of toxic office culture and workplace harassment. Her follow-up, The Royal Hotel, is an equally intriguing, slow-burn, tense thriller that tackles the theme of toxic masculinity in an isolated Australian outback and fits perfectly as a double bill with The Assistant.

The film opens with Hanna (Julia Garner) and Liv (Jessica Henswick), two American friends, on vacation in Australia, where they unexpectedly run out of money, primarily due to Liv’s excessive drinking. Consequently, they are forced to take a temporary live-work job in a desolated pub called “The Royal Hotel,” situated in a remote mining community. The pub is run by Billy (Hugo Weaving), a functioning alcoholic who can be rough but also charming and has a nasty habit of not paying people he owes money to. Carol (Ursula Yovich) runs the kitchen and is one of the few women there; she initially comes across as cold and unwelcoming to the girls, but she has merely internalized the harshness of her surroundings. Hanna and Liv get acquainted with several local drinkers as they gradually adjust to the cultural differences and hostile environment around them. Among the local drinkers is Matty (Toby Wallace), a charming young man who takes a shine to Hanna and wants to hook up with her. Then there’s Teeth (James Frecheville), a tough-looking softie who grows obsessed with Liv and claims her as his own. There’s also Dolly (Daniel Henshall), whose menacing gaze is so creepy and intimidating that Hanna continually feels uneasy and freaked out by his sheer presence. When the locals’ behavior becomes increasingly erratic, Hanna and Liv’s friendship is tested, and they find themselves in an unnerving situation that slowly spirals out of control.

The best thing about The Royal Hotel is Green’s ability to constantly maintain a sense of immediate danger around Hanna and Liv throughout the film, making the viewers fear for their safety at all times. Some examples include scenes like when Matty takes the girls swimming in the middle of nowhere, when he makes out with Hanna (whom she recoils in fear), and when a drunk Dolly causes a commotion in the bar by insulting and intimidating Hanna. Green’s decision to focus on telling the story from Hanna’s (a more reserved and vigilant character) point of view rather than Liv’s (a carefree person who embraces the men’s work-hard, party-hard routine) adds a layer of psychological complexity to the film as it unfolds.

The film also benefits from its setting, which is a hostile, male-dominated milieu of the Australian outback, where most men work in a mining company. The scarcity of women in that region and the limited opportunities to enjoy their company have left these men lonely, horny, and desperate. As a result, the mere presence of these girls is enough to set off an immediate desire for either a romantic relationship or just casual sexual encounters. By capitalizing on the emotional state of these men, the makers heighten the tension surrounding how far they will go to satisfy their urges while concealing their dubious natures. We don’t know what they are capable of doing in this remote place where anything goes. However, Green’s choice to keep the true nature (and the intention) of these men (towards these girls) a mystery for a long time hurts the film’s climax because it fails to cash in on the mounting tension established in the first two acts. Because of this, the resolution lacks the same level of intrigue and immersion as the setup and feels more like an easy way out.

Despite a slightly underwhelming conclusion, Green still efficiently explores and conveys the themes she wishes to emphasize, which in this case is delving deeper into the topic of toxic masculinity’s pervasive presence in women’s lives. She is the director to watch out for, and I can’t wait to see what she does next.

The Royal Hotel movie links: IMDB, Letterboxd

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