The Tourise review

[Westside Steve]

The Tourist

Sony

PG 13 103 min

 

So I admit I’m not a big fan of either Johnny Depp or Angelina Jolie.

I don’t think either is terrible in the fashion of Keanu Reaves or Paulie Shore, and they’ve both done some fine work over the years. I just don’t get the hyperventilation and the hype over the pairing here in the European styled con game thriller.

Now I usually like con game thrillers pretty well and on the surface this plot outline should have been an easy one from which to wring a fun movie.

There is an internationally notorious thief on the loose who has swindled not only the tax collectors of Jolly Old England but also some of the nastiest mobsters on that side of the Atlantic out of hundreds of millions of pounds dollars euros or whatever.

The only link that the bad guys and the British police have is the mystery man’s paramour Elise (Jolie) so she’s under constant surveillance from bit sides of the law.

Here’s the scheme. Elise will board a train and select and befriend a random tourist with a similar height and build as the mystery thief who will become an unwitting decoy.

She picks an introverted American schoolteacher Frank (Depp) who is now the target of cops and crooks from Paris to Venice.

Sounds like fun right?

Unfortunately it really isn’t.

First, there’s no chemistry at all between Depp and Jolie and both of them exhibit a surprisingly wooden feel to the parts. I’m guessing that director Florian Henckel Von Donnersmarck’s first language may not be English thereby missing some of the nuance necessary for the dialogue to work.

Since they will supposedly fall in love during the ordeal that’s a major setback.

Also the plot itself is preposterous even for a movie.

So you want us to believe that this guy is the worlds most wanted outlaw and absolutely no one has any idea what he looks like?

Please.

There are lots more things that will leave you shaking your head or rolling your eyes (especially the ending) but hey I’ll let you experience that for yourself.

It’s a clever idea and an impressive cast spoiled by clumsy direction.

 

C-

WSS

 

Email westsidesteve@aol.com