This review contains minor spoilers for Black Mirror episode 703: “Hotel Reverie.”
Hotel Reverie: A Lackluster Journey in Queer Cinema
As fans eagerly awaited the return of Black Mirror in 2023, the film and television landscape remained fixated on the superficial charms of diversity. Frequently, the industry showcased talented actors of various backgrounds, placing them within familiar narratives that often leaned on cliched tropes. Unfortunately, this practice continued with Black Mirror‘s latest foray, the lesbian-centric episode “Hotel Reverie,” which ultimately fails to transcend mediocrity and offer the depth that its premise deserves.
Plot Overview: A Familiar Setting
In “Hotel Reverie,” we begin with a clever but fleeting homage: a faux trailer for a vintage movie that blends the essence of Casablanca with elements of Gaslight and Brief Encounter. Our protagonist, Brandy Friday (played by the talented Issa Rae), is a disenchanted A-list actress trapped in a series of uninspired romantic roles. She yearns for something more authentic, something reminiscent of the classic films she admires.
Brandy’s opportunity arises when the owner of a struggling classic film studio, portrayed by the impressive Harriet Walter, teams up with an overzealous tech entrepreneur (Awkwafina) to revolutionize storytelling using “Re-Dream” technology—which allows filmmakers to insert new stars into classic movies. This bizarre concept sets the stage for an exploration of identity and representation in the cinematic world, but soon devolves into a disjointed narrative riddled with missed opportunities.
Missed Opportunities and Underdeveloped Themes
Despite the tantalizing premise, “Hotel Reverie” fails to deliver any meaningful critique. Instead of engaging with the implications of transforming roles traditionally assigned to white male characters, the plot opts for a simplistic solution: the characters in the movie just accept Brandy’s presence without question. This decision, while convenient, does nothing to develop the underlying themes of race and gender in Hollywood.
The episode’s metatext reveals a frustrating truth about the Black Mirror series itself. The Re-Dream technicians, who are responsible for tailoring Brandy’s story, approach storytelling as a mathematical puzzle, prioritizing plot structure over depth. This methodology has plagued the series, resulting in numerous episodes that squander intriguing concepts in favor of flawed narrative execution.
A Lack of Emotional Investment
As Brandy transcends into this alternate world, she becomes Alex, a Black woman doctor navigating the faux-1940s Cairo landscape, alongside an AI character that is a blend of the original film’s lead and its tragic actress, Dorothy Chambers (Emma Corrin). Unfortunately, the nature of this setup leads us to miss a genuine exploration of their burgeoning romance. Instead of showcasing a captivating love story, we are presented with a monotonous montage of their relationship—an artistic choice that undermines any emotional investment we might have had.
The narrative’s stakes are further compromised when Brandy’s connection to Dorothy, built on superficial moments and quick montages, fails to resonate. By the time Brandy faces the climactic decision of staying with her love or returning to reality, audiences are left asking—did we ever really care?
Final Thoughts: Content Without Substance
When “Hotel Reverie” reaches its conclusion, we see characters in the tech room moved to tears, presenting the experiment as a success. However, there’s a glaring absence of acknowledgment regarding the real-life implications of AI in filmmaking—namely, the ethical dilemmas surrounding its use and the authenticity of representation. Instead, we’re presented with pop culture references and aesthetic visuals, celebrating superficial pleasures over necessary discourse.
Is it too much to ask that queer audiences be treated to narratives that challenge conventions rather than simply appease them? Hotel Reverie boasts beautiful cinematography, a charismatic cast, and a LGBTQ+ love story—but these elements alone do not validate its existence.
At one point, Walter’s studio head expresses disdain for films being labeled as content, and tragically, this episode exemplifies that very essence. In the end, “Hotel Reverie” isn’t a groundbreaking exploration of queer love; it’s more akin to a TikTok of fleeting moments—a glossed-over rendition of deeper themes begging to be explored.
Black Mirror season seven is now streaming on Netflix.
