Tempo

This film, directed by Eric Styles, has the distinction that it has reversed the emphasis from a woman, to a man, for being the object of sexual desire. Otherwise, it doesn't make much sense. The best redeeming factor is some of the great views of Paris.

Sarah, as played by Melanie Griffith, is annoying. That little girl voice in a grown up woman is a turn off. This is a mature woman that has taken up with a much younger, and attractive young man who is seen naked, and or, in different stages of it, in the film. Sarah makes a grave mistake in taking the train back to Paris and holding the precious coin in her hand while she falls asleep! Hellooo! She could have hidden in some other part of her body!

Jack, the young man about town, is attracted to the newly arrived American ingenue, Jenny. They immediately fall in love and are seen having sex without any protection. Sorry, but has anyone heard of AIDS? Jenny is made to look terribly provincial with that horrible permanent and her even uglier pigtails.

The film doesn't go anywhere, as we figured what was going to be the outcome early on. The direction doesn't help matters at all. Other than a vacation in Paris, what is Malcom McDowell doing in this movie? He only appears in one scene and is seen in another! This film could have been cast with lesser known actors and probably would have been better than what one sees on the screen.

Better luck to Mr. Styles next time out.

I'm quite sure that many movie watchers have seen this type of plot before, but it is always intriguing to see how the actors and actresses bring it into being. The structure is lacking, which we can heap on to the writer. The interesting thing, however, is the irony that becomes apparent within the character development.

There is a girl portrayed by the lovely Rachael Leigh Cook, who looks at herself as the portrait of American apathy and rebellion. She admits to having commited a crime while in school, and also finds herself insanely attracted to the real badass, the car booster. She is the perfect picture of what Ben Folds sings about in "Whatever and ever, Amen." The only problem is that she really isn't prepared for what bumming around with a badass brings.

Through the plot, we are allowed to watch her mature, or at least we are left with a hope that she does. Her penchant for ditching responsibility lands her in France, but then she begins to take on more and more responsibilities as time goes on. She offers to house the guy, she remembers that she forgot to lock up the shop and returns to do so, and in the end, gets rather shaken up for having been attracted to the dark side of things.

The acting is good. The actors make the pain that they suffer seem very real. Frustration, fear, anger, jealousy, and passion are all imparted to the audience. The movie didn't get boring.

The direction of the movie is rather bland, however. The shots were not spectacular, and the lighting was not memorable. There were no interesting angles, and sometimes it seemed that everyone was a little out of place.

So, in the end, this movie is more of a character study of the youth of America; how the youth like to think that they're bad, even though they probably can't handle things that are really evil.

During the short and entertaining ride that is "Tempo", there's not one scene where you can't help but thinking: "This looks like a movie made for TV". Apparently, that's not the reality…In its cast it has consecrated stars and other young and very talented actors that wouldn't be uncomfortable at all with a "star" position.

Three main characters call all of the shots, when two women get too involved with a charming man and end up in a love triangle situation that includes a robbery, a police chase, guns and more elements than at least these characters expected to deal with. What the movie tries to say is that sometimes we don't measure our actions and we cross a line…Yes, that line.

A film like "Tempo", with its typical storyline, must at least get you involved with the feelings of the main characters; and it doesn't fail in that department. The writing team includes L.M. Kit Carson (who once adapted the brilliant "Paris, Texas") joined by Jeremy Lipp and Jennifer Salt; writers of some clever and engaging TV series.

So the director Eric Styles seems to be the only one a little far from television between the crew (John McCarthy is basically a series composer) and although probably everyone said it already, he brings a lot of style to the table with his intensively focused cameras during some crucial shots and his fast motion management when the film finds its adrenaline moments. Helped a lot by cinematographer Robert Fraisse, Styles achieves the quality of the image that's as good as the film can offer.

A few things fail in the plot and with the general idea, which is why the movie doesn't become good; but the emotion you get from the first scene doesn't vanish at all, and you want the best for this flawed human beings. Rachael Leigh Cook, between the best actresses of her generation and more beautiful each day, gives a desperate tone to her character that makes us believe love can actually happen fast, when you're alone in some place and you need it.

However, her character is flawed because she is not able to think things twice. Hugh Dancy plays the young attractive man supported by an older woman that cares for him. Even when his character cares for the woman too, he allows himself to slip, considering he will resolve it in the end; but he's not able to do it, because he's flawed. Dancy portrays all of these shades solidly; yet he completely fails in achieving the American accent.

The older woman I mentioned before is the character played by Melanie Griffith. Griffith has always had to 'find' the role: "Milk Money", "Now And Then", "Forever Lulu" are some of the films in which the role fits perfectly for her; without mattering if the picture is good or not. "She always speaks the same way", I told my brother; and he said that people can't chance their way of speaking…In "Tempo", the role fits for her and eventually fits for us; luckily.

"Sarah James (Melanie Griffith) lives on danger's edge every day as the courier for a ruthless French black market dealer. Her boyfriend, Jack Ganzer (Hugh Dancy), is a handsome, young American expatriate she's seduced into becoming her partner in crime. But, when Jack unexpectedly meets and falls for Jenny Travile (Rachael Leigh Cook), a sexy but seemingly naive jewelry shop clerk, he quickly finds himself trapped in a treacherous love triangle filled with suspicion, vengeance, and murder. This riveting thriller will keep you guessing until the very end," according to the DVD sleeve description.

"Tempo" opens with its exciting car chase climax, then goes into flashbacks leading up to there. Possibly, they had no other way to begin this movie. Next up, you get mild erotica with Ms. Griffith, as the still sexy older woman, wrapping her legs around Mr. Dancy, as the attractive young stud. And, that's about all there is to this downhill film. The chase winds up being the culmination of an unappealing heist storyline. Only Dancy shows skin throughout. Griffith gives her character more vulnerability than the film deserves. And, Ms. Cook is almost completely, and uncharacteristically, nondescript.

**** Tempo (6/10/03) Eric Styles ~ Melanie Griffith, Hugh Dancy, Rachel Leigh Cook, Art Malik

a film for cast. for their money. for the opportunity for viewer to rediscover known stars. and for profound disappointment. because it is one of films about nothing. the story is not bad , the acting could be considered decent, the locations - inspired choices. but the large territories of ambiguity, the fragile/fake relations between characters, the confuse end who becomes responsibility of public,Melanie Griffith who gives only the shadow of her character are the big problems. something missing and it could be exactly the essence / soul of film. so, a film interesting only for cast. but it is not enough.