First thing I have to say is that this movie has been needlessly brutalised by too many IMDb reviewers. If this is a B-grade movie, it's certainly the best one I have ever seen. It's not brilliant or groundbreaking, but it's a very respectable homage to the film noir genre and a nice little nod to Hitchcock.The feel of the movie is fantastic - dark, seedy, brooding, almost agonisingly suspenseful (some reviewers mistook this as too "slooooooooooow" pacing)and menacing enough to make me so tense while watching that at the movie's end, my shoulders actually loosened in relief!!! There are no huge surprises or plot twists, as virtually everything is laid out on the table for the viewer almost from the start, and even the non-linear unfolding of the events is not a challenge to follow. We just wait with bated breath, as the suspense is built up excruciatingly slowly, like ever tightening guitar strings on the point of breaking, wondering when it is that the fiancé cottons on to what is actually going on. The viewer is amply rewarded when it is finally revealed that the fiancé was not as clueless as first thought.The art deco look of the hotel and the porter/bellhop is delightful and made me long again for the Hercule Poirot movies I lapped up as a teenager.I have to admit that the director has perhaps put style above substance, given the incredible attention to detail in the set styling and the obvious effort in evoking a certain era (down to the whisky glasses and bathroom hardware) juxtaposed against what is essentially a very simple story, stretched to fit an almost 90 minute frame. There is no background, no build up to the situation, and once it's over, the protagonist (perpetrator?) walks off into the night; no speculation, no follow up. This is obviously a small budget movie, as everything takes place in or around the hotel.I am not complaining though, given the artful, deliberate and decisive direction, the more than competent acting from the entire cast (the bellhop though, is a standout and a joy to watch) and the fact that style oozes out of every pore of this movie. It would probably help if you are a fan of film noir, Hitchcock, art deco design or Agatha Christie.Think of it as a study in effective film making on a shoe string budget, or a gorgeous, huge slice of chocolate layer cake, so artfully constructed, so delightfully delicious, that it completely satisfies, even in lieu of the main course! Bearing that in mind, and ignoring the ridiculous IMDb rating, you will probably appreciate this stylistic gem of a movie, that much more.....

I'm talking about you, especially, director Alex Merkin, because the "buck" stops at your desk. Certainly you know that Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata--one of the five most frequently used pieces of public domain soundtrack music in the million plus items making up IMDb's listings--is composed BY BEETHOVEN, and NOT by the late British pianist Sydney Dale, whom your movie's credits list as the composer of this tune, which makes up about half the soundtrack of ACROSS THE HALL. As director, it is your JOB to spot big goofs such as this, or insure that people are hired who can do so. No self-respecting film helmsman would allow the credits for his movie to say that Satan wrote the Bible, or list King George III as the first U.S. president. However, you allowed a goof tantamount to these to slip into your end credits. (Anyone with half an ear can tell Mr. Dale recorded this particular version of "Moonlight" during his Piccadilly Period, due to the rich corkiness in the bass notes.) Evidently, your pianist/soundtrack composer Bobby Tahouri just phoned in his efforts for ACROSS THE HALL, since either he was not closely associated enough or did not care enough to correct this monumental goof himself.This movie COULD have rated a 9 or 10, but it's not over until the fat lady sings, as they say. You guys blew it with 12 seconds left in a movie running 1 hour, 33 minutes, and 11 seconds! Talk about snatching defeat from the jaws of victory! Giving just a two-point deduction to something no doubt setting BOTH Mr. Beethoven and Mr. Dale spinning in their respective graves probably is being overly generous!

I have read many complaints on how this is "boring" and the scenes are dragged out. I can see how many people are not used to intelligent movies (no offense intended) due to the constant action and cheap scares released in theaters these days. THIS is a movie that deserves a theater release. A very intelligent thriller, with a superb cast that tells a very dark story. The 3 main actors, especially Brittany Murphy, really did an excellent job. The story is told in a flashback/memento way and is executed perfectly. I felt all the flashbacks were correctly positioned and the conclusion might not blow you away- but it's pretty damn good. There are numerous twists and turns but the final twist is jaw-dropping. I want more thrillers like this! 10/10

If you want to really enjoy this film, don't forget to switch off your brain before viewing. From the beginning titles throughout the all film you will as well enjoy the atmosphere of the hotel, the smart photography, the music score and the decent performance of the actors. Alas, don't expect anyone of the characters do something intelligent, especially the guy who is completely innocent and then flees (just to get caught a few storeys below) like he had something to hide or be afraid of. If you are curious about how a script can be messy and how easy it is to have holes in a plot, you should check this flick out. (the vote 1 is to correct the misleading official IMDb rating)