Movie Review: ‘Check In’ – A Choatic Hotel Experience That Doesn’t Quite Add Up

It’s always interesting to see young actors daring to break out of the mould of being just talents for hire, to being the ones doing the hiring. There’s something admirable about that bold step of taking the reins, calling the shots, and trying to own your voice not just in front of the camera, but behind it too.

Up-and-rising actress Bella Agyemang attempts just that in her debut production ‘Check In’, through her Alleb Productions outfit. The film directed by Kobi Rana, who many consider to be a seasoned filmmaker, serves up an absorbing comedy that doesn’t quite land all the way around.

The film tells the story of a day in the life of Alfreda (played by Bella Agyemang), a receptionist at the Adinkra Hotel. It’s her last day of probation, and she’s hoping that everything goes well with no hiccups and no drama so she can be guaranteed a permanent spot on the team. But as you can already guess, that’s not what’s going to happen.

Alfreda ends up dealing with hotel staff, particularly John (played by Gabriel Hogan), the over-the-top security guard and a host of guests who each show up with their own agenda. And as is typical of a Kobi Rana film, you expect the twists and thrusts of some somewhat risqué situations wrapped in humorous circumstances. That’s exactly what the film delivers on… or should I say tries to deliver on.

It’s very obvious that Bella Agyemang produced this film not just for the pride or experience of being a producer, but also to put herself and her talent front and center. Unfortunately, this doesn’t feel like a screenplay that supported her in that goal.

Yes, Alfreda is technically the lead. But is she really at the center of the story? It didn’t quite feel that way for me. Several guests check in to the hotel throughout the day, and each one of them or rather, each room and its occupants have their own stories to tell. Most of which, to be honest, have no real connection with Alfreda or any bearing on her goal of securing her job.

First, there’s a suspicious-looking guy who checks in. Turns out, he’s a recently released convict looking to satisfy his pleasures. He ends up engaging the services of Vanila (played by Enam Tugbefia), the hotel’s pseudo-resident sex worker. Their tryst almost turns deadly, as she struggles to handle the insatiable demands of a drugged-up man high on impulse and low on empathy.

Then there’s Thompson, a college student who lures an underaged high school girl, Amanda, to the hotel with hopes of exploiting her in exchange for money. A high-profile politician (played by Jeneral Ntatia) also checks in with a known escort, hoping for some discreet fun. But this escort is on her own mission, which threatens to embroil the politician in a scandal.

Pastor David (played by Clemento Suarez) also checks in with renowned gospel musician Portia (played by Felicia Osei) on their way to a concert. But his desires get the better of him, and he’s suddenly willing to risk it all for a chance with the woman who clearly isn’t new to such advances from “men of God.”

And finally, there’s Mike (played by Gideon Kojo Boakye), a writer and Alfreda’s ex, who checks in with his wife Grace (played by Esi Hammond). Their marriage is on the rocks, and they’ve come to the hotel on the advice of a counsellor, hoping to reconnect. Of all the subplots, this is the only one that feels directly tied to Alfreda’s story. Seeing her ex again rattles her emotionally, stirring anxiety and complicating the situation for the already tense couple. This portion of the story teases themes of jealousy, fatal attraction, and nostalgia, which I believe could have been the centre of the narrative but was not fully explored.

The screenplay is credited to three writers. And even without knowing this, you can feel the multiple voices and perspectives trying to break through. The narrative and several of the scenes seem disjointed. The incoherent timeline makes that even more glaring. Several scenes feel like they were included solely for comedic effect, rather than to drive the story forward. It ends up making the film’s 90-minute runtime feel much longer than it should.

The film also tries, almost forcefully to shift into a more serious tone with the storyline involving Mike and Grace. From the moment they are introduced, the score changes to an ominous and imposing sound, creating a forced sense of intensity that clashes with the otherwise comedic tone of the film. It feels out of place, and not in a good way.

Acting-wise, the performances are about what you’d expect from the cast. Gabriel Hogan is the comedic anchor of the film, with his portrayal of John. His antics, delivery, and interactions with the other characters provide most of the film’s laughs. Ironically, John feels more like the central character than Alfreda does.

Ace entertainment personality and current Director of Diaspora Affairs at the Presidency Kofi Okyere Darko (KOD) also makes a cameo as the hotel manager. Despite his entertainment background, his delivery here is proof that acting isn’t a skill to be toyed with as it demands presence, precision, and constant practice.

The entire film is set within the hotel and its rooms. The filmmakers, I believe, did their best to make use of the space. But I can’t help but notice how much more expansive and creative the production could have been with that single location. There was potential for deeper immersion, more dynamic blocking, or even tighter visual storytelling, but that wasn’t quite realized for me. Besides that, all the other production elements feel decent, well except for the editing choices and the sound scoring that seem to take away from the film rather than add to it.

All in all, ‘Check In’ is a commendable effort by Bella Agyemang. But it is a typical Kobi Rana flick. I’ll score this film 5.5/10. For a debut production, she shows initiative and ambition, which is admirable. But the film feels more like a collage of stories than a coherent, central narrative. It flirts with themes of lust, deception, scandal, and regret, but fails to tie it all together for me. And even with all the chaos there doesn’t seem to be a clear-cut message or theme that this narrative is trying to send home. Perhaps, if there was, then I missed it.

‘Check In’ is still showing at the Silverbird Cinemas in Accra. If you’re in the mood for a laugh or want to support a new wave of young creatives taking bold steps, this is certainly a film you should go see.