The Tourist

"The Tourist" is very similar to some of the Hollywood escapist fair of the 1950's and early 1960's with the likes of Cary Grant, Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly. In several films during this era, Grant played an American in European exotic locales dealing with espionage in relatively light-hearted plots. The classic films of this ilk which come to mind are "To Catch a Thief", "Charade", even "Roman Holiday", taking place in Monte Carlo, Monaco, Paris, and Rome. In "The Tourist", Depp plays a Cary Grant-like character and Angelina Jolie has the long dark hair of Audrey Hepburn with the demureness of Grace Kelly. The action begins in Paris then moves to Venice.

The best thing about the film is the opening. The viewer is plopped right into the middle of things without any background or knowledge. A demure mystery woman (Jolie) arrives at a café in Paris near the Champs-Elysees and orders her usual, which we learn is already being prepared. She's a regular. A mysterious note is given to her and provides detailed instructions concerning exact steps she's supposed to take right after leaving the café. While she is reading the note, we learn she is being staked out by government officials. Part of the instruction says "...pick someone with my height and build and make them believe it is me..." She burns the note and makes her way to the central train terminal in Paris.

Part of the fun of the story is that we don't know who wrote the note, and part of the mystery-fantasy is a gradual revelation regarding who the unknown letter-writer is. (The voice-over for the note is Jolie, which is somewhat confusing at first, because the writer is male.) On a train to Venice, she meets a clueless American tourist from Wisconsin, Frank, played by Johnny Depp. Depp (who doesn't exactly seem like a clueless tourist from Wisconsin) acts flattered that a woman who just walked out of Vogue Magazine would sit by him on the train. And so begins a rather fun, if somewhat improbable, misadventure. Depp appears to be someone "with my height and build". Two factions are on the trail on the unknown "letter-writer": Scotland Yard authorities who believe he has not paid back taxes on a transaction worth several billion British pounds, and an international mob run by an older baddie who would kill not only a man who cheats on his wife, but he'll kill his wife too, and all the members of both families. He would even kill the man's doctor, just for good measure. The mob boss lost billions to the mystery man who was once a trusted part of his organization. Part of the plot is the tried-and-true "mistaken identity" device in which the authorities and the mob appear to be confusing the clueless tourist with the unseen letter-writer. Everyone is sure the man they want is Depp.

A fun fantasy which combines elements of romantic-comedy and international espionage. There are a couple of obligatory chase scenes and even a romantic interlude or two, with the compulsory ballroom and casino scenes. What makes it work are the fine performances by Depp and Jolie. The ending is pretty interesting, but there are aspects during the film which don't quite mesh with the information presented previously. But if you're willing to suspend your disbelief and let your imagination run wild, "The Tourist" is a fun treat, sort of like a nice bowl of vanilla ice cream. French vanilla of course on Viennese China.

Opening day (a Friday) enough of the critical reviews I read were negative enough, that I was asking 2 friends if they wanted to switch films - money is tight, yah know? But we agreed there was nothing wrong with checking The Tourist out, at worst there would be some eye candy.

Once again, I'm glad I blew the critics off - it's not that the negative reviews are wrong, exactly. There ARE too many scenes of entire rooms of people turning around to look at Jolie, like a perfume commercial (or someone with toilet paper stuck to their behind). Characters and relationships aren't fleshed out enough, and it's a predictable film - North by Northwest is far superior.

But. As one critic said, it's a frothy diversion, pleasant and fun. Thought the rumpled Depp was low-key and charming, and Jolie was gorgeous and a sympathetic character. There are some amusing twists, and our fairly full theater laughed a lot and was entertained by the film; at no point did any of us lose interest. There are far worse ways to spend a Friday night, and I'd recommend to anyone looking for some diversion and gorgeous views of Venice. Good for anyone looking to unwind after a long hard week.

Imagine a movie, imagine that movie stars two of the hottest commodities in Hollywood and add a sensual, somewhat dark French-thriller plot. If you did that, you would have the trailer for The Tourist, and it would sound like a pretty good movie, right? But then if you take away the words "dark" and "thriller" and realized that those sought after actors were actually last minute replacements, then you would have the actual movie.

The Tourist stars Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp in what appears to be a very promising plot. Jolie plays Elise, a beautiful and mysterious woman who ensnares spy-fiction fan Frank Tupelo (Depp) into his very own web of international crime and intrigue. Under the orders of Chief Inspector Jones (Timothy Dalton) Scotland Yard's John Acheson played by Paul Bettany (The Da Vinci Code, A Beautiful Mind) tries his best to keep up Elise and the man he believes she is connected to…Alexander Pearce.

For what sounds like a fantastic plot on paper, the execution of it all leaves a little something to be desired. Perhaps the problem is with expectations. As stated before, the premise and the trailer and two actors who typically take on fairly meaty roles suggests that The Tourist would at least have hints of substance, instead the audience is left with a beautiful and…fun movie that is essentially summer action fluff – think The Italian Job meets Knight and Day.

The problems with the film almost assuredly were the result of apparently several casting and directorial issues during pre-production. Depp's role was reportedly originally slated for Tom Cruise, who was replaced by Sam Worthington who dropped out over "creative differences" and ultimately was replaces by Johnny Depp. Angelina Jolie's character was also apparently intended for someone else…none other than Academy Award winning actress Charlize Theron. The director, German born - Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck (Director of the Academy Award winning film The Lives of Others) also was a replacement and who he himself dropped out at one point, only to resume his directorial role later on. It seems that for whatever reason, no one wanted to be a part of this film.

The Tourist certainly has its strong points. The visuals are simply stunning, whether that describes the beautiful European vistas, lavish homes and hotels or the lead actors, there is definitely eye candy everywhere. The action scenes are exciting and even the dialogue has some charm. However it seems that for every peak there is a valley. The Tourist like its pre-production story seems to have a bit of an identity crisis. At times the film feels intense and brooding, other times it feels like a carefree romp through the waterways of Venice. The dialogue and script have their moments of wit and charm while other parts feel like a reject Bond script. The Tourist is by no means a perfect film, however going in with realistic expectations; it may be just the way to end your night or your week

We're all used to seeing Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie in dramatic roles - Finding Neverland, Public Enemies, The Changeling, A Mighty Heart... and it's so easy to forget that they can be funny. But they are, both of them. Johnny shines, as he always does. Angelina Jolie looks glorious, and when she smiles, the screen lights up. They don't have chemistry, critics say. Oh yes, they do, I say. More importantly, they seem to be enjoying themselves.

Johnny's Frank is delightful, touching and slightly mysterious. He has endless room to play around, and makes Frank memorable, and lovely, as only Johnny can. Angelina's role is more limiting, but she still makes it fresh and - yes - deeply amusing, parodying both herself and the genre in general. Watching her saunter around on her high heels, one can't help but recall what James Bond used to be like. This isn't Wanted or Salt: she has far more to do here than look cryptic and shoot people, and she does it very well.

Add to that the utterly magnificent Paul Bettany, Timothy Dalton, a few stereotypically dim Russian gangsters (they speak actual Russian, for once, and their funniest lines aren't subtitled) and Rufus Sewell, and there's no way you can go wrong.

Yes, there's a twist at the end - a twist that seemed to annoy most people. But does that take away from the film? No! It adds to it, because it's just so obvious, and natural, that it's all the funnier for it.

Two beautiful people race around Venice in this entertaining and deceptive game of Cat and Mouse.

There's a very charming and seductive quality to this film. And its more subtle execution of the Action-Thriller genre is, I think, very underrated. Along with good pacing and twists that kept me guessing, The Tourist made for an enjoyable time.