Voyageur malgré lui

as he writes his travel column. His column is a metaphor for being the "passive observer" who travels and critiques places, but never truly appreciates them...not until Geena Davis comes along, at any rate.

Hurt plays Macon Leary, a man who has existed, but not truly experienced life. Kathleen Turner is the estranged wife, due to the accidental death of their young son, a tragedy which causes Hurt to withdraw. As another reviewer mentioned, one should watch this excellent film several times, as there is much innuendo and insight into human behavior. Bill Pullman portrays Hurt's publisher, who is amused and intrigued by his eccentric family.

What a cast! Ed Begley Jr., Amy Wright, Hurt and David Ogden Stiers are all siblings (over age 40), who still live in their grandmother's house, complete with 1930's wallpaper, a pantry that is alphabetically organized by the sister, and a phone that is never answered because they "don't need it". Pullman is priceless as he visits Hurt for dinner, and falls in love with Rose (Amy Wright) for her old-fashioned persona.

Macon's dog is comic relief, but also the liaison with Geena Davis, an offbeat dog-trainer. She is quite good, and insinuates her way into Macon's ordered world. She is a single mother struggling, and Robert Hy Gorman is excellent as her young son, Alexander. Macon finds himself growing attached to Davis, her son, and her wayward life. He helps the son with schoolwork, and realizes he can still be open to new relationships. Even after all the tragedy.

Kathleen Turner attempts reconciliation,and offers Macon a stable ordered life of commonality. Davis offers instability, excitement and unpredictability. Which will he choose? This is not just a romantic drama, it is a serious character study about control, relationships, and difficult choices. It is one of the few films in which the difficulties of marriage are sensitively addressed, and the acting is superb.

Hurt expresses more with the slightest movement on his face than most actors do with pages of dialogue. An achingly beautiful portrait of a man trapped within himself, struggling at once to stay in and get out

From The Accidental Tourist to Accidental Hero a few years later, both underrated films, Geena Davis plays an almost cameo part to the lead of William Hurt, a travel writer whose marriage falls apart due to the death of their son in a robbery. The script is carefully written - it is difficult to write about loss and divorce in a sympathetic but entertaining way. Geena Davis steals the show though even if her efforts are at the start in vain. With Kathleen Turner as well, the cast is very strong and as an ensemble piece is well worth watching if on, but it is a small drama that could well have been a TV movie and whilst I appreciated watching it is not one I would go out of my way to recommend to others.

This is a wonderful film by Lawrence Kasdan about a man who withdraws from his relationships with other people (and the world) after a terrible family tragedy. William Hurt plays the character of 'Macon', a man who writes books for people who don't want to travel and has become as grey and dull as his suit. His wife Sarah (the vibrant Kathleen Turner) separates from him and after an accident he goes to live with his family who live a life organised by his sister, Rose (Amy Wright) and settles into a dull routine. Even his dog seems to be turning against him, then he meets Muriel (Geena Davis) when boarding his dog and she not only teaches the dog new tricks but also shows Macon that his ways can be changed too. William Hurt gives a truly marvellous performance as a man who has given up on life and has become almost catatonic. This is a film that gets better with each subsequent viewing, containing much food for thought especially for anyone that wishes for a 'safe' and 'planned' life. The wonderful dreamlike score is by John Williams and it was nominated for an Oscar amongst many nominations for this film. Thankfully this outstanding movie is now available on DVD and in the correct viewing format.

I agree to almost every word reviewer Takatomon wrote. One of this movie's greatest merits is that it deals with issues in life in a unpolished and natural way. It's easy to understand how this movie can be overlooked by the majority of viewers as this movie isn't for the majority of viewers. That is, the majority that's expecting to be entertained in the Hollywood style of film making. With that I mean those "strong" performances we all want to see from characters as Hoffman in "Rain Man" or Hanks in "Forrest Gump". Or vast visuals, filmed in the broadest scope, or action packed sequences. Not in "The Accidental Tourist". What you do get is William Hurt in what I think is one of his best roles as Macon Leary, writer of travel guides and Geena Davis in an exquisite role as the pet store owner. I've admired actors for the way they can portray mentally or socially challenged people (Rainman, Forrest Gump, Of mice and men, etc.). These parts tend to win the Oscars. But I'd rather give one to Hurt for his portrayal of Macon Leary because this character doesn't show obvious signs of any handicap. Actually Macon is very plain. What can be more difficult than acting out a role of a person who's personal qualities don't jump at you right away? "The Accidental Tourist" is a movie of high quality and should be given a fair chance.