THE STORY – Former British soccer star Tony Powell manages a dying Hollywood motel, reflecting on his solitary life and the path not taken.
THE CAST – Tony Powell
THE TEAM – Ramiel Petros & Nicholas Freeman (Directors/Writers)
THE RUNNING TIME – 94 Minutes
There is always a fascinating story to be found in the lives of any person. Even what may appear to be the most mundane and banal existence of the surface can be merely a mask that hides away a deep treasure trove of intriguing narratives. The journey to unearth these tales can produce entertaining spectacles of engaging topics, or they can be provocative examinations of a broader commentary. At every turn in “The Last Guest at the Holloway Motel,” the attention paid toward Tony Powell is always on the search for this deeper meaning while seemingly in battle with the subject himself. Here, we see a man whose current life seems relatively uneventful until he is forced into a major upheaval. The crossroads he now faces are not completely novel experiences, but the actions taken to get here are a series of unique circumstances. These events are what make this examination of grief, regret, and self-affirmation an engrossing story, even if the execution isn’t always the most compelling display.
The start of this venture actually begins towards the end of one chapter in Tony’s life. For twenty years, he’s been the owner and manager of the Holloway Motel, a well-established lodging facility in Los Angeles that has just been sold to be used as a homeless shelter. Tony has cultivated strong, strong friendships but has lived a rather anonymous life. As he downsizes to a smaller apartment and battles a multitude of health problems, a documentary crew has come to discuss his life. Usually a private person, now he finds himself discussing his notable career as a footballer in England before he fled after fears arose that he would be outed as gay. Turning his back on his career and family, an older Tony finds himself reflecting on the bad decisions of a life that seems completely different than it was nearly half a century ago. Now, he’s forced to reckon with some hard truths in the hopes of finding connections before it’s too late.
Directors Ramiel Petros and Nicholas Freeman have a sense to unveil this story with a sense of misdirection. At first, the portrait they create is that of a slightly curmudgeon yet inviting personality, steeped in local culture, who will serve as a guide through an enticing history lesson. But as soon as he must leave the premises, the perspective shifts more to his own past and the branches of conflict that have sprung from those misdeeds. In some respects, this is an intriguing method to build out the mythology of this unknown figure by slowly revealing the details of his checkered past. The archival documentation further arouses curiosity about his impressive athletic career and the broken pieces he left behind. It seems at first that this will be a major thesis, particularly in the rejection of queer athletes in a horribly oppressive moment in time for sports. His story is briefly juxtaposed against that of Justin Fashanu, the first footballer to come out as gay and suffered horrible professional and personal consequences. Such a moment absolutely would influence Tony’s decision to keep his true self hidden from the world, but it also seems as if a grander statement could be made instead of the brief aside it turns out to be in the end.
Indeed, his past is painted with broad strokes without many specifics, which can become frustrating. Some of these are meant to be filled in, like the fractured relationship with his daughters, but other aspects are frustratingly absent. Tony bristles at discussing his parents or marriage, which could explain these exclusions, but it also leaves many corners of this man’s life uninterrogated. His journey from England to the United States does not feature any noteworthy conversation about the hotel he’s managed and what significance it may have in the community. What this story chooses to tell and not tell may have been at the mercy of its subject, but it’s also indicative of an incomplete framework.
Still, Tony is a powerfully magnetic figure to observe. One can see his quiet and reserved manner has to actively fight against the impulse to pull inward and brush off uncomfortable conversations with bratty retorts that act as self-defense. The vulnerability that peeks through when he’s forced to confront the damage he’s inflicted are heartbreaking, though sometimes it pales in comparison to the plights of his elderly chihuahua, Samantha. The journey to reconnect with his family is built upon a decision that’s never really given a satisfying motivation as to why he turned his back in the first place, and the simple explanation Tony gives is indicative of his decision-making process. One yearns for a strong catharsis built on a sizable emotional foundation, but vague details are all we’re treated to. When Tony does travel back to meet his family in England, at least we are treated to likable persons there, as his sisters are truly delightful and endearing. They help coax more of that emotion from his storyline in a manner that is grounded and captivating, and they end up being one of the film’s greatest assets.
If one is looking for a broader commentary in “The Last Guest of the Holloway Motel” in regards to the placement of queer athletes in the pantheon of the sports they participated in, this endeavor isn’t going to provide that whole context. Even as a more specific character study, not every aspect here works to build out an engaging framework that dives deep within the soul of this man. Tony Powell is a figure who has to unlearn years of distant secrecy in order to finally connect back to the relationships he’s abandoned. It’s easy to understand why a man in his seventies with troublesome medical issues would feel the need to make amends with the few people who can give him comfort at this stage. While one wishes for a more in-depth analysis, what is seen conveys the world of a person who has let decades of despair dictate an emotional distance that must be undone. As is, we get to see a prickly yet oddly charming persona confront the pain that’s been left to fester. But in that confrontation comes an emotional revelation that is appreciated. It’s an element present in many lives, and the exploration here is still engrossing to behold.
