Un ange gardien pour Tess

Although Nicolas Cage showed a new range and talent in "Leaving Las Vegas", I think it is roles like this one in "Guarding Tess" where he is at his best. He plays a Secret Service agent who is having a frustrating time protecting the fiesty former first lady, Shirley McClain. Lots of funny dialogue, the chemistry between the two is great.

Not quite as over the top as "Raising Arizona" or "Honeymoon in Vegas" (although he was hilarious in both of those as well)...He's got the facial expressions and timing of a great comic actor.

There are also some good supporting performances. You'll laugh a lot watching this movie. One that might slip under the radar screen but is definitely worth checking out.

GUARDING TESS takes a crochety, ailing, widowed former First Lady (MacClaine) and one very reluctant Secret Service agent (Cage) and pairs them on a path that spells almost certain doom for one of them. She can't get along with anyone, including her grown son who ignores her. And Cage just can't get along with her. Naturally, over time, they form a strong bond. Then the unexpected happens. Their world is turned upside down when she is kidnapped. The movie shifts into high melodrama at this point and never lets up until the end. The music begins to thunder down on us, Cage badly overacts, mostly yelling and bellowing, and the film almost goes off the rails. Austin Pendleton hams it up as the First Lady's neurotic driver, and frankly he's not very good in this one. A mostly entertaining little movie that soon enough gets too big for its britches. See it and decide for yourself.

This is an unexpected pearl of a movie. Neither of the two stars, Shirley MacLaine or Nicholas Cage, are normally high on my list of favorites, but they pull off this odd ball relationship to perfection. There's chemistry here, just not in the usual sense of the word! It's a plot idea unlike any I've previously encountered...

Doug (Nicholas Cage) is a Secret Service man assigned the dubious honor of "guarding Tess" Carlisle (Shirley MacLaine), the feisty, aging, crotchety widow of a former American President and friend to the current President (who owes her favors and she doesn't let him forget it!). Nothing Doug does pleases Tess; nothing ANYONE does pleases Tess. Yet, she has an obvious underlying affection for her Secret Service guard, the only agent she'll in fact tolerate, who most of the time wishes he had just about any other job. Tess's own son totally neglects her and she's a lonely lady, caught up in old memories of her past White House days, when she and her husband were objects of great respect, affection, and attention. Tess is a cantankerous character now (of course Shirley MacLaine's a natural for the part!) but altogether sympathetic. I won't give away the story but Doug has his work cut out for him, and not just putting up with her moods, whims, and assorted outrages. The plot thickens and drama awaits...

There's action and adventure but the movie is much more character driven than plot driven. It's a treat to watch the unfolding relationship between this unlikely pair. Whether it's a realistic scenario or not, it makes for an entertaining, amusing, and touching movie you're bound to enjoy.

As I'm choosing which is going to be the 53rd Nicolas Cage romp for me to see, I'm thinking old-school throwback comedies just can't go wrong... And, surely enough, they don't. "Guarding Tess" is a dramedy with a good, solid heart that lies in the unprecedented chemistry between Nicolas Cage and Shirley MacLaine. A well familiar tale with some peculiar oddities, and an uneven nature.

Shirley MacLaine plays Tess Carlisle, a former U.S. First Lady, and as such, she has bodyguards, the leader of whom has been Secret Service agent Doug Chesnic (Nicolas Cage). Doug's assignment is finally over, and he can't wait to get back to more action, but Tess knows exactly who she wants beside her, even though she can't stand him...

Ain't the first, or the last, time when two marginally different souls get put together, fight through the differences, learn to respect and love each other. "Guarding Tess" is a story like that, and not the worst example. Hugh Wilson directs and uneven script, that's saved again and again by the top notch main performances. Nicolas Cage has found ground, stable ground, and offers up a cool, content, serious, yet amusing performance, and on the other side is veteran actress Shirley MacLaine, ranging Tess from a witching meanie to a sweet old lady, and being in absolute sync with Cage. The pretty straight-forward script doesn't provide a lot laughs, amusement might be a better word for it, and the film eventually takes an odd direction. Rather than to continue being what it is, a clever and sweet, soft comedy that relies on its characters, "Guarding Tess" almost becomes a thriller nearing the end, showing that the idea sort of had no way to go. Nonetheless, it all ends with a warm smile, and ultimately "Guarding Tess" is a very likeable film, where the performances do more than enough to carry the spirit successfully, although the two titans didn't leave a lot of room for the rather commendable supporting cast, including Austin Pendleton and Richard Griffiths.

Perhaps a little watery, inconsistent and mighty straight-forward, but a rightful tale, and hearty amusement, for any age, any soul, plus Cage simply doesn't fail. My rating: 6/10.

This perfect little gem of a movie deserves watching. With such a wonderful cast and such a great script, if this movie has any fault at all, it is under-appreciation. Shirley and Nick play off each other like the pros they are. The photography is on cue, the pace is keen and the underlying message of learning to love and care for what you have instead of squandering your energies on unrealistic ambitions is heart-warming. Among the many great moments are the calls from the President, Tess's temper tantrums, the scene at the opera, the "stand-off" in the car, and Tess's last scene from the hospital. I don't think this submission contains spoilers, but if they are, they're harmless. Please, please see this film.