A 'Room' with a bland view

"Room 314" marks writer/director/producer Michael Knowles debut into feature filmmaking as he expands on his festival-favored short film "Nick and Stacey." Their story - unexpectedly waking up together in the titular hotel room - kicks off a series of four equally uncomfortable male-female encounters that take place within the same walls during the course of the film.

It would give too much away to describe the characters and their various situations - discovering who they are and why they find themselves in room 314 is really the reason to watch. Each story hinges on the anxieties of intimacy, whether the individuals involved are lovers or strangers. Playing with this notion of intimacy, Knowles' camera work (yes, he even takes on the role of cinematographer) forces the viewer to get up close and personal with the characters, putting you in their faces. It's unsettling, and purposefully so; the tension of each scene is palpable, and nobody involved can deny the discomfort that springs from these awkward exchanges.

But the situations Knowles depicts are quite typical. The characters are not special and their actions are not unusual. Many of us will recognize the emotions dealt with here from our own experiences. And while some may find such banality boring, it seems to be the very quality that makes the film so captivating.

"Room 314" isn't without snags, however. The trouble with employing a relatively unknown cast (continuing the theme of normality) is that many of the actors are truly inexperienced. Most, including Knowles - who acts in the film on top of all his behind-the-scenes work - have worked primarily in television, so the performances come across as slightly melodramatic at times. And while there are some very solid sequences, the five stories don't match up in length or in impact. One promising scene is so unfortunately short that it almost becomes forgettable.

A certain amount of imbalance is necessary to maintain the degree of believability central to the film's premise. Naturally some encounters take longer than others, and one appreciates how well Knowles avoids making the film feel calculated.

"Room 314" does feel, at times, like Jim Jarmusch's "Coffee and Cigarettes" (2003). A more soap opera-y, less ironic version, certainly, but it resonates with Jarmusch's efforts to push one premise to its limits through a sequence of parallel situations. While Jarmusch explores the conversations that occur in various spaces, Knowles confines his venture to one room. And the walls of "Room 314" do have some interesting things to say, even if they're familiar.