The Hotel New Hampshire (film)

The Hotel New Hampshire is a 1984 American-British comedy-drama film written and directed by Tony Richardson, based on the 1981 novel of the same name by John Irving. The film follows the eccentric Berry family as they experience a series of unconventional and often tragic events across several hotels they establish and manage.

The film stars Rob Lowe, Jodie Foster, Beau Bridges, Lisa Banes, Nastassja Kinski, and Matthew Modine. It tells the story of the Berry family, headed by Win Berry (Bridges) and his wife Mary (Banes), and their five children: Franny (Foster), John (Lowe), Frank (Paul McCrane), Lilly (Jennifer Dundas), and Egg (Seth Green/Anita Morris).

The narrative spans several years and locations, beginning in a Maine boarding school and progressing to Vienna, Austria, where the Berrys run the "Hotel New Hampshire." The family encounters a diverse cast of characters, including a bear named Susannah (a stuffed bear that becomes a symbol of resilience), a terrorist group in Vienna, and various eccentric individuals who become intertwined with the family's lives.

The film explores themes of family, love, loss, trauma, and the search for meaning in the face of adversity. It is characterized by its dark humor, surreal elements, and its frank treatment of sensitive subjects. While the film attempts to capture the spirit and complexities of Irving's novel, it has been criticized for its uneven tone and its struggles to translate the book's nuances to the screen. Critical reception was mixed, with some praising the performances of the cast and its attempt to adapt a challenging novel, while others found it to be confusing and tonally inconsistent. The film is known for its ensemble cast and its memorable, albeit controversial, portrayal of the Berry family's unusual experiences.