The Bellmen

But, those crammed in antics are a hoot. When Alan (Willie Garson) has to go to the golf course and talk to a cactus that may or may not have been indecently accosted, it is hysterical. The deadpan of Kelly explaining how everyone at the hotel makes her life easier, except for Steve, is dryly amusing. The best jokes are the recurring ones. Josh, as the newest bellhop, has yet to memorize the handbook, so the references to all the strange plays in it confuse him. The Trojan Suitcase is a prime example. The rapid-fire speed and the ridiculous names of them will cause a considerable amount of laughter.

Happily, the cast of The Bellmen knows exactly the kind of film they are making and play accordingly. Adam Ray quickly endears Steve to the audience, despite the character’s innate selfishness. His comedic timing is excellent, and he excels during the few dramatic beats as well. Zuckerman’s physical comedy – he gets hit, a lot – is excellent, and he never fails to land a joke. Thomas Lennon is hysterical as the scam artist guru figure, bringing a lot of creepy vibes while maintaining a lot of high energy. Adler, as the slightly prank-loving Michael, is charming and fun. There isn’t really a bad performance from anyone in the cast.

“…ably maintains the brash, idiosyncratic tone…”

As a director, Fife shows a good eye for action, as a lot of the madcap shenanigans involve running, sneaking, and again, a lot of physical comedy. It is all quite exciting, engrossing, and very, very funny. He also ably maintains the brash, idiosyncratic tone from the beginning of the amusing, animated title sequence to the end credits. Balancing this style of oddball sight gags and quirky dialogue is much harder than it sounds (just ask everyone involved in Gentlemen Broncos). The fact that Fife does so assuredly in only his second feature-length is quite the testament to his skills.

The Bellmen hits all the expected beats of its broad storyline, and some of the jokes are not that funny. But, the eccentric journey is delightful and populated with likable characters. Most importantly, the film is overflowing with jokes, both visual and verbal, and the results prove to be a riot. Sit back and enjoy the laugh-a-minute ride.