The Perfect Trip - The Perfect Trap
Rating: 7/10
Running Time: 105 minutes
US Certificate: PG-13 UK Certificate: 12A
The Tourist has been the village bicycle of European Directors and Hollywood A-listers. Nearly everyone has had a go and just like a ride with the skanky fat girl who puts out, they realised that they didn’t really like it. When the people that are in a movie are this sceptical about a film, it’s hard not to transmit that onto the audience, however you shouldn’t be put off as The Tourist is a pretty decent thriller.
The story from the Director with the awesome name – Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck – takes place in Venice, Italy (as the less Geography savvy Americans always like to put it). Elise (Jolie) is traveling by train to meet her estranged lover – an incredibly rich thief who is wanted by Scotland Yard and just about everyone else. As she is being followed by the least subtle undercover agents you could image she is told to pick a random stranger and try and pass him off as her man. The chosen average Joe is Frank (Depp) who is immediately placed in danger and pursued by Inspector John Acheson (Bettany) and a mobster (Berkoff).
Surprisingly, it’s the soundtrack that most lets The Tourist down. The gratingly intrusive mess of music constantly changes from generic thriller music to generic romantic music to generic ‘we’re in a European city’ music and back and forth. It just sounds horrible and lazy. With the big names involved, the acting is not exactly stellar. Jolie’s accent is okay but falters at times and in trying to act a little dopey Depp seems to pause to buy himself a few seconds to remember how his character is supposed to act. Most of the extras seem not to have been told that Angelina Jolie is starring in the film as each time she enters a room every man stares and points at her. Yes, she’s beautiful but are men really that obvious?
These points, however, are mere trifles when you look at the film as a whole. It has a decent story complete with a few twists harking back to the stylish thrillers of the sixties and seventies that would take in glamorous European destinations. Venice is well used and adds a nice dimension to the fast paced action. There is also a surprisingly large amount of humour injected into the movie and on the majority of occasions it comes off.
Overall, The Tourist is a decent romantic thriller that’s an easy watch but is let down by a few nigggles.
It's Got: A beautiful couple - aww don't they look lovely together?
It Needs: A complete revamp of the music, some subtler extras
Summary
Beautiful people, beautiful location, decent story and a few niggles.