Owen-13

The Thomas Crown Affair was a very different movie in the original release, the crime made more sense, and they didn't quibble about the bad guy getting away with it all. The remake just lacks depth and class by comparison. I had great hopes, as I am a long time Pierce Brosnan fan, and indeed his work is good in the movie, but what he gets to do is just not worth doing. Rene Russo, on the other hand, is NO Faye Dunaway. And the rest of the cast is just there, could be anyone, they are just filling space, waiting for the big love interest to take place. Overall, I regret wasting the time it took to see the movie, and the money I spent.

I have seen the movie a few times over the years, and usually enjoy it for what it is. Its not a comedy, though it has funny moments, and the characters are interesting even though none of them is really appealing. I suppose it would have to be classified as a drama, though it isn't really dramatic in theme or treatment, and it isn't exactly slice of life, its too scatter-shot to be that. A series of incidents that define the character and development of a man from callow youth through cynical adult to something a bit more compassionate and understanding by the end of the movie. This movie was apparently something of a departure for Andy Griffith, as he rarely returned to this sort of material in his career, seeming to prefer a more slapstick, comedic role, but it does indeed demonstrate his capability of handling material outside that venue.

This is one of those movies that people keep saying you either love or hate. I like this movie a lot, I think it has lots of good points, and I have watched it several times, but thats about it. I don't LOVE it, I don't see it, as some have said, as a litmus test of whether I will like a person or not by how they feel about this movie, nor do I think it deserves to be burned and the people who made it shot. Its a fun movie, with some truths about life, some falsehoods, and a lot of just movie stuff. Like I say, I like it a lot, and would recommend it as a fun movie to watch along with several other Tom Hanks/Meg Ryan pairings. But no more than that. You won't learn anything you didn't already know by watching the movie, and it won't cure you of terminal depression or anything else, but it will certainly while away a couple of happy hours basking in the glow of romance and happy feelings.