The Tourist (C+ or 2.5/4 stars)
A beguiling Elise Ward (Angelina Jolie) sits next to an American tourist, Frank (Johnny Depp), on a train going from Paris to Venice in 'The Tourist' (a would-be romantic thriller directed by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, The Lives of Others). She is an English siren. Frank is a meek, widowed math teacher from Wisconsin. For all intents & purposes, we think that she is headed to Venice for a clandestine tryst with her lover, Alexander. But really (or so we think), Elise has chosen innocent Frank as a decoy; making her enemies believe that HE is her lover - who is wanted by the police. Elise works her magic. Frank becomes smitten with her. She eventually invites him to share a gorgeous hotel suite with her. And he thinks all is going well.
Unfortunately for him, Elise is being pursued by 2 Scotland Yard inspectors (Paul Bettany, Timothy Dalton) & a mob boss! Why the mob boss? Because Elise's lover, Alexander, owes the mobster $2.3 billion (yeah, you read that correctly ... rollin' my eyes). And with Frank now caught in this web of intrigue, romance & corruption ... so, too, is he caught up in some very dangerous situations; evading enemies, dodging bullets, & running from anyone else who believes him to be Elise's lover. A deadly game of cat & mouse ensues. Has Elise set-up Frank to be the fall guy? Is she a femme fatale? Or is something else afoot?
I'm somewhat disappointed by 'The Tourist'. I remember reading - about 4 months ago - that this film, directed by an Oscar-winning foreign film director, starring Depp & Jolie, & comprising a team of Oscar-winning crafts people - was coming out in December for awards contention & holiday entertainment. I was psyched. Now having seen it, the word that jumps out for me to describe the film is: limp.
But let's not get too negative, for now. Paris, Venice, & Angelina have never looked better {haha}. It's a great film to sit back, watch, and go 'oooh, ahhh' at. Angelina, her old school Hollywood glamour, costumes, hair, make-up, jewelry ... all of it captures the eye & doesn't let go. I've never heard so many murmurings from an audience of an actress onscreen before this film. The camera loves her, stays on her, & the audience responds. The film "almost" didn't need a plot (because the actors are bigger than the movie). That's fascinating to experience.
This film contains action & humor. But the fact that it's classified as a Comedy by the Golden Globes voting body is a laugh. It's more silly than funny. And actually, the movie kinda ... lumbers. Most scenes lack a crackle, a snap, a degree of interest ... other than watching someone elegantly walk across a room. I'm serious - there is more voguing, walking, & eye brow-raising in this film than there is meaningful dialogue or intriguing plot points. I liked watching Jolie & Depp onscreen. But due to the mystery element of the film, there's almost Zero emotional engagement. Many characters are harboring double identities. And when that happens, you can't trust anything anyone is doing; hence the Zero investment. You won't feel/care about anything 'til the end; and then it could be too late.
'The Tourist' is a "here it is ... there it went" diversion. I mildly enjoyed it. But had it not been for a twist in the end, this would have been a dud. Because the mystery element remained uncovered 'til those final minutes, it made me contemplate everything I'd seen for the last 105 minutes. I wanted to watch the film again to catch all the moments where things seemed off, or opaque plot points litter the screen, or to see someone's odd gesture. So that is a good thing. But you can't help but figure that with the pedigree involved, this could have been much better. Depp seemed slightly uncomfortable in the role. Even the supporting players had little to do but spout creaky dialogue, & look bemused at what the hell they were doing. 'The Tourist' is pretty to look at, harmless, but half-cooked.
Unfortunately for him, Elise is being pursued by 2 Scotland Yard inspectors (Paul Bettany, Timothy Dalton) & a mob boss! Why the mob boss? Because Elise's lover, Alexander, owes the mobster $2.3 billion (yeah, you read that correctly ... rollin' my eyes). And with Frank now caught in this web of intrigue, romance & corruption ... so, too, is he caught up in some very dangerous situations; evading enemies, dodging bullets, & running from anyone else who believes him to be Elise's lover. A deadly game of cat & mouse ensues. Has Elise set-up Frank to be the fall guy? Is she a femme fatale? Or is something else afoot?
I'm somewhat disappointed by 'The Tourist'. I remember reading - about 4 months ago - that this film, directed by an Oscar-winning foreign film director, starring Depp & Jolie, & comprising a team of Oscar-winning crafts people - was coming out in December for awards contention & holiday entertainment. I was psyched. Now having seen it, the word that jumps out for me to describe the film is: limp.
But let's not get too negative, for now. Paris, Venice, & Angelina have never looked better {haha}. It's a great film to sit back, watch, and go 'oooh, ahhh' at. Angelina, her old school Hollywood glamour, costumes, hair, make-up, jewelry ... all of it captures the eye & doesn't let go. I've never heard so many murmurings from an audience of an actress onscreen before this film. The camera loves her, stays on her, & the audience responds. The film "almost" didn't need a plot (because the actors are bigger than the movie). That's fascinating to experience.
This film contains action & humor. But the fact that it's classified as a Comedy by the Golden Globes voting body is a laugh. It's more silly than funny. And actually, the movie kinda ... lumbers. Most scenes lack a crackle, a snap, a degree of interest ... other than watching someone elegantly walk across a room. I'm serious - there is more voguing, walking, & eye brow-raising in this film than there is meaningful dialogue or intriguing plot points. I liked watching Jolie & Depp onscreen. But due to the mystery element of the film, there's almost Zero emotional engagement. Many characters are harboring double identities. And when that happens, you can't trust anything anyone is doing; hence the Zero investment. You won't feel/care about anything 'til the end; and then it could be too late.
'The Tourist' is a "here it is ... there it went" diversion. I mildly enjoyed it. But had it not been for a twist in the end, this would have been a dud. Because the mystery element remained uncovered 'til those final minutes, it made me contemplate everything I'd seen for the last 105 minutes. I wanted to watch the film again to catch all the moments where things seemed off, or opaque plot points litter the screen, or to see someone's odd gesture. So that is a good thing. But you can't help but figure that with the pedigree involved, this could have been much better. Depp seemed slightly uncomfortable in the role. Even the supporting players had little to do but spout creaky dialogue, & look bemused at what the hell they were doing. 'The Tourist' is pretty to look at, harmless, but half-cooked.