Nerds That Geek Movie Review: ‘The Innkeepers’

Written by Scott Edwards

Everyone has heard old stories about where they work, especially if someone has died in their building. Thinking that their building is haunted just makes the day a little bit brighter in a morbid way and if something falls through the cracks, it can be blamed on the ghost. If you are lucky enough to work in one of these buildings and have time to do your research about what has happened in the past, you may enjoy finding out what really happened, but digging too deep may get you in far over your head.  

The final two employees of the Yankee Pedlar Inn are looking for any evidence of a ghost in the old building. As the Inn is about to be shut down permanently, Claire and Luke are still looking after the occasional guest that comes in but are more focused on proving that the stories that they have been telling to the occupants are true. Trying to find and communicate with the ghost of Madeline O’Malley who died in the building so many years ago, they are determined to prove to themselves that it really happened.

Luke has built up a haunted hotel website and has posted several different pictures along with stories that have occurred in the Yankee Pedlar and has been able to get Claire into the hunt as well. Claire may not have believed in ghosts in the past but has an open mind and is willing to use her downtime to do some additional recordings around the building when the sun goes down. Hearing a piano playing with no one sitting at it, Claire has found the most damming evidence to date that there is something happening in the inn, but Luke is still very skeptical about her recordings.

Talking with one of her childhood heroes that is staying at the inn, Claire finds out that Leanne Rease-Jones is not only a notable actress, but also a kind of physic that is willing to help her find what she is looking for. Talking with the aging actress, Claire hears that there are three spirits in the inn and that she should not go down to the basement to investigate any further. Claire is still skeptical about the reading that she has received and during the final night of the inn’s existence, she decides to take Luke down to the basement and try one last time to prove that the building is haunted. What they find will change their lives forever.

As far as creepy ghost stories go, this is a great one. Not being shot in first person is a huge plus for me and it delivers very well. With two great main characters, seeing one grow, while the other regresses, it is fun to see how the attitudes suddenly change towards the old building, along with each other. Trying to find proof of something that you know is true can be difficult, but when you are able to attain it, you may be asking yourself if it was really worth it. Stay Scared!

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