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Dayana, trapped in an abusive marriage, forms a dangerous alliance with Heraldo at Motel Destino.
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Dayana lives an abusive marriage with former police officer Elias, owner of Motel Destino. When 21-year-old Heraldo finds himself at the motel after messing up a hit and going on the run, Dayana finds herself intrigued and lets him stay. As the two navigate a dance of power, desire and liberation, a dangerous plan for freedom emerges.
"Motel Destino is a steamy film. Not only because of the climate and atmosphere that fill Karim Aïnouz's cinematography, but also due to the story: a young man flees from a crime and ends up taking refuge in a roadside motel run by a bizarre character played by Fábio Assunção. Here, more than focusing on the escape, Karim is more interested in understanding what people do behind closed doors—not just in terms of sex, but especially in terms of behavior and ideas. Between us, it's a film that could have been more (bolder, more creative, more intense). Still, it's good to see Karim in fine form, always poking at the norms of Brazilian society."