O Representante

For me, this is one of those films that you start watching and half an hour later, wonder if you should watch or do something else. But I stuck with and found it "so-so" viewing. John Hurt played his role well as did Mueller-Stahl (he was great in "Shine"). The plot takes a few unexpected twists that I did not foresee. However, what disappointed me was the predictability of some parts of the story (e.g. the fate of some characters), the superficiality of some of the characters' interrelationships, and the generally cheap look and feel of the production. A pet hate was the stereotyped Texan businessman in a Stetson - also poorly acted. The movie lacked a certain flow and left some issues hanging unnecessarily. Anyway, see for yourself.

The Commissioner is a great film starring John Hurt as the British Commissioner of Industry in the EU. His acting as usual is intensely engrossing as Commissioner Morton uncovers industrial corruption on a grand scale. But wait, which company is the most corrupt? And who is responsible for all the killings? Is Armin Mueller-Stahl really a company man who came in from the cold? Complex plot with many twists, and if you can follow it you have my admiration.

But at heart this film's significance lies in its forceful stance against big industry. You'll never question the validity of the WTO protestors again.

There are some interesting twists in the movie, so there was a lot of thought put into the plot. Unfortunately, the execution did not live up to the potential provided by the plot. Actually, the plot of the movie is just as pertinent today as it was 10+ years ago of corporations with ties to politicians being able to be above the law. However, the script, the dialog, the pace, and the acting all left a little to be desired. Even the performance of the distinguished John Hurt seemed average at best. This seemed more along the quality of a made-for-TV movie. The redeeming value of the movie was that it has the theme that one must do things for the right reason, but it was rather painful process to get there.

Although it starts as a rather typical political thriller, in which the good and bad guys are singled out from the very beginning, "The Commissioner" is in fact quite different: In this film, the lines of good and bad are not only blurred, but through a series of multiple plot twists, our perceptions for the characters involved change constantly.

"The Commissioner" is about the story of James Morton (Hurt), a minister in the UK government who after being forced to resign from his post, is offered the position of Commissioner in the EU. He accepts the offer only after he is promised by his Prime Minister that he will hold the Foreign Affairs portfolio; however, upon his arrival in Brussels he finds out that he gets Industry instead, and that the UK PM actually lobbied for that. Despite his disappointment, and despite a wrecked marriage with his wife Isabelle (Krige) who declines even to follow him in his new home, he devotes his full energy in his new post. And soon, the first challenge faces him: He is handed evidence that a German chemical company, which is about to merge with a British one, is involved in the production of chemical and biological weapons. Assisted by his soon-to-become girlfriend Helena Moguentes (Pastor), the Environmental Commissioner, they begin a crusade to uncover the truth. However, in the process he discovers that people are not what they seem; not only that, but even the truth is not what it seems...

The clever plot twists make the movie very suspenseful and interesting. Moreover, the performances are generally good, although I must admit that I found Rosana Pastor a bit unsatisfactory in her role.

All in all a good film. 7/10.

I had my finger on the fast-forward button while watching this, as I expected this to be a boring and mediocre political thriller and I'm not that very interested in politics. But what a surprise! It turned out to be a smart and very intelligent movie, with a realistic and intriguing story! Although lots of actions happen, on a very high tempo, the story always remains clear and comprehensible. John Hurt was extremely strong, the photography was nice and the camera-work effective. I also liked the music very much, it certainly contributed tot the tension in the film. I think it's great the way George Sluizer made this movie with possibly not that much money.