Hotel Chevalier Extra Quality -

Here’s the magic trick of Hotel Chevalier : It takes every Wes Anderson trope—the symmetry, the curated color palette (that specific, aching shade of yellow), the deadpan delivery—and strips away the ensemble cast. There is no Gene Hackman, no Bill Murray. Just two people in a room.

Currently, Hotel Chevalier is available to stream on (as part of the Darjeeling Limited extras) and for digital rental or purchase on Apple TV , Amazon Prime Video , and YouTube Movies . It is also often included in physical Criterion Collection editions of The Darjeeling Limited . Due to its brief runtime (13 minutes) and brief nudity (Portman’s rear is visible briefly), it is typically rated R, though its thematic content is mature rather than graphic. Hotel Chevalier

At its surface, Hotel Chevalier is a two-character play set in a single, opulent hotel room in Paris. The film stars Jason Schwartzman as Jack Whitman and Natalie Portman as his unnamed former girlfriend, credited simply as “The Girl.” The action is simple: Jack is hiding out in a luxurious suite, avoiding the world while nursing a broken heart and a self-imposed exile. Suddenly, a phone call announces a visitor. Minutes later, The Girl appears at his door, and the two dance around the wreckage of their relationship with witty, painful dialogue before ultimately sharing a physical intimacy underscored by profound sadness. Here’s the magic trick of Hotel Chevalier :

Hotel Chevalier is often cited as a distillation of Wes Anderson's signature aesthetic. It features: Currently, Hotel Chevalier is available to stream on

★★★★★ (Five broken hearts / Five)