THE TOURIST (2010): Stirred, but not Shaken
December 21st 2010 12:54
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Strangers on a train: Angelina Jolie mesmerizes Johnny Depp in The Tourist (2010)
The Tourist is clearly a valentine to early James Bond movies, literally embodied here by Timothy Dalton, Bond #4 (after Sean Connery, Roger Moore and provided one chooses to count George Lazenby). Dalton finally gets to be “M”, stepping in as chief inspector at Interpol. Also imported from Bond movies (specifically the Roger Moore phase of the oeuvre - Octopussy) is career villain Steven Berkoff, overacting and sweating madly as the cliché gangster looking for his stolen money. As a sizeable perk which comes with his evil territory, he actually gets to act out some intense collective fantasies and play naughtily with Angie’s lips – when has a little self-indulgence ever hurt a mainstream Hollywood production?
Spies galore: Timothy Dalton, Rufus Sewell, Paul Bettany, Alessio Boni and Giovanni Guidelli in The Tourist (2010)
Paul Bettany (memorable for all the wrong reasons as self-flagellating albino monk in The Da Vinci Code) is the resident bureaucratic grump, trying to spoil everybody’s fun and apparently hijack Berkoff’s baddie career in the process, but mainly clocks time criticizing Angie’s choice in men. Rounding up the stellar cast is the dashing Rufus Sewell (Dark City, The Holiday), who portrays the film’s red herring, so as a consequence we sadly do not get to see enough of him.
From Venice with love: Angelina Jolie & her lips in The Tourist(2010)
Like a cinematic soufflé, The Tourist is charming yet ephemeral, serving mainly as a vehicle to showcase the beauty of Jolie, who looks spectacular here and manages to channel Italian screen goddesses Sophia Loren and Claudia Cardinale in one, while reprising her trademark man-eater/vixen role to a hilt (see Salt, Wanted, Beowulf, Mr. and Mrs. Smith…) but this time with a British accent. Angelina’s makeup deserves a special mention as it is it almost its own character, blowing the smoky eye into the stratosphere, closely followed by the costume department which did not wish to be left far behind.
Johnny Depp goes kohl-free in The Tourist (2010)
Speaking of makeup, Johnny Depp could use some more of Jack Sparrow’s eyeliner in this one, as he looks a little bit tired and pasty as American tourist Frank - albeit there is a plotline-related reason for this, so do not despair.... Besotted by a mysterious woman named Elise (Jolie) on a train to Venice, poor Frank gets dragged along the most beautiful locales in one of the most atmospheric cities in the world, distractedly participating in events and intrigues that are way over his scruffy head. There are some waterway and rooftop chases and some shooting, liberally sprinkled with romantic dinners and rather cryptic but thankfully short conversations between the two leads, who seem to enjoy keeping their tongues firmly in cheek throughout. Here’s a sample of the not-quite-double-entendre standard dialogue: “You look ravenous” “You mean ravishing?” “I do…” Then again, you get Venice, plush interiors, lush lips & Johnny Depp to look at, what more could one wish for this Christmas?
Review by Patricia Bieszk
Copyright P. Bieszk 2010
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