Watch Kids' Reviews of
LITTLE HOTEL DETECTIVE, THE

What to know:
LITTLE HOTEL DETECTIVE, THE is in the KIDS FIRST! Film Festival - it may not be a regular, endorsed title
Recommended age 5-12
21 minutes
VIDEO
STAAS NELIS
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LITTLE HOTEL DETECTIVE, THE cover image
I really like The Little Hotel Detective. The story line reminds me of many films that I grew up watching such as Annie, Home Alone, and more. I also enjoyed Billie's character and how she plays her part really well. I can tell that this film was made with a lot of love and effort.

The story follows an 11-year-old girl named Billie who is spending time at a busy hotel for the holidays with her mom who is the owner of that hotel. An inspector comes to inspect the hotel and Billie's mom is stressed out about that. If it doesn't pass, Billie's mom will have to close the hotel down. Ever since her dad passed away all Billie wants is to have time with her mom, so she begins to investigate and find out who the secret inspector is to help her mother out and be with her like old times. The film is from The Netherlands and the dialogue is in Dutch, with English subtitles.

The story develops really well and held my interest. The film is well produced, with good camera work, audio recording, editing and acting. I really like the opening shot of the blue car driving up to the hotel. There are a lot of nuances to this story and it's amazing that they have been told in 21 minutes! Billie is my favorite character, played by Jolene Horowitz. She is adorable and reminds me of Eloise at the Plaza in some ways as she maneuvers her way around the hotel, having fun in a way that only someone completely familiar with it could. I could relate to her wanting to be closer to her mom after her dad passed. I particularly like Billie's detective costume with her oversized coat; it expresses her love for being a detective just like her favorite book series, Sherlock Holmes. We all try to emulate our favorite characters from books and movies, don't we? The film takes place in a rural area and the hotel seems to be sort of vintage. I like the background music that is used to introduce Billie's character, it provides a foreshadowing of Billie's personality. And, I love the dance and pancake happy ending scene at the end.

Julia van Braak, the director of this film, really stands out here. You can tell the work and effort that Julia put into making this film into a masterpiece. She directed this film and created the character of Billie similar to her own childhood, which I find interesting. My favorite part is when Billie is hiding in the closet and when she's busted by the inspector, she says, "I am inspecting for woodworms."

The film's message is that without family, there is nothing. Families aren't just our blood relatives, they are the people who are close to us in our lives.

I give The Little Hotel Detective 4.5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 8 to 12. By Hafsa H. and Julie S., KIDS FIRST!

I really like The Little Hotel Detective. The story line reminds me of many films that I grew up watching such as Annie, Home Alone, and more. I also enjoyed Billie's character and how she plays her part really well. I can tell that this film was made with a lot of love and effort.

The story follows an 11-year-old girl named Billie who is spending time at a busy hotel for the holidays with her mom who is the owner of that hotel. An inspector comes to inspect the hotel and Billie's mom is stressed out about that. If it doesn't pass, Billie's mom will have to close the hotel down. Ever since her dad passed away all Billie wants is to have time with her mom, so she begins to investigate and find out who the secret inspector is to help her mother out and be with her like old times. The film is from The Netherlands and the dialogue is in Dutch, with English subtitles.

The story develops really well and held my interest. The film is well produced, with good camera work, audio recording, editing and acting. I really like the opening shot of the blue car driving up to the hotel. There are a lot of nuances to this story and it's amazing that they have been told in 21 minutes! Billie is my favorite character, played by Jolene Horowitz. She is adorable and reminds me of Eloise at the Plaza in some ways as she maneuvers her way around the hotel, having fun in a way that only someone completely familiar with it could. I could relate to her wanting to be closer to her mom after her dad passed. I particularly like Billie's detective costume with her oversized coat; it expresses her love for being a detective just like her favorite book series, Sherlock Holmes. We all try to emulate our favorite characters from books and movies, don't we? The film takes place in a rural area and the hotel seems to be sort of vintage. I like the background music that is used to introduce Billie's character, it provides a foreshadowing of Billie's personality. And, I love the dance and pancake happy ending scene at the end.

Julia van Braak, the director of this film, really stands out here. You can tell the work and effort that Julia put into making this film into a masterpiece. She directed this film and created the character of Billie similar to her own childhood, which I find interesting. My favorite part is when Billie is hiding in the closet and when she's busted by the inspector, she says, "I am inspecting for woodworms."

The film's message is that without family, there is nothing. Families aren't just our blood relatives, they are the people who are close to us in our lives.

I give The Little Hotel Detective 4.5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 8 to 12. By Hafsa H. and Julie S., KIDS FIRST!

At the start of the holiday, eleven-year-old Billie is thrilled to finally spend some time with her mother, Estella, a busy hotel owner. But when a secret hotel inspector checks in, everything changes. Billie turns into a detective, determined to uncover the inspector's identity and win back her mother's attention.
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