David O'ConnellThe Tourist
December 20th 2010 05:03
Another needless remake, another first-rate European filmmaker bending to the call of Hollywood and the promise of big bucks attached: that’s the wash up after witnessing run-of-the-mill drama The Tourist, a scenic but vacuous romp through Venice. From a superficial standpoint it’s hard to deny the temptation of working with A-grade names like Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie. But to see Florian Henckel von Dommarsmarck, director of one of the finest foreign language films of recent years, The Lives of Others (2006), lower his aim to the altitude of such sub-Hitchcockian genericism, is disheartening beyond words.
With spying eyes in every crowd, Elise Clifton-Ward (Jolie), receives the latest message from her lover, the mysterious and elusive Alexander Pearce, currently on the run after having absconded with the multi-billion dollar proceeds of a nasty crook, Reginald Shaw (Steven Berkoff). Elise is to board a train to Venice and choose a patsy, somebody similar enough in looks and stature to Pearce to throw the authorities – led by Scotland Yard’s Inspector Acheson (Paul Bettany) - off their scent, thus creating a diversion.
The authorities soon establish that Frank Tupelo (Depp) is merely a boring maths teacher, a nobody. But when a renegade agent unscrupulously passes on his identity to Shaw’s mob, they decide to continue their own pursuit, certain that Frank is their man. A series of mildly diverting but far-fetched action sequences ensues with Frank, entranced by his one night in close proximity to the ravishing Elise in her opulent hotel suite, on the run. Elise will come to his rescue on more than one occasion, but where will it all end? Will Elise continue to use Frank as a pawn to draw attention from herself whilst she sets up a meeting with her one true love? Will Pearce eventually show his face?
It’s hard to care about these underwhelming, thinly-sketched characters, especially Frank whose folly and misadventure seems engineered by his own gullibility and inability to act in the face of Elise’s alluring pout. Jolie adds nothing in the way of conviction, strutting around in a ludicrous, nonchalant way; omniscient, ubiquitous, sporting a silly, aristocratic English accent, and with never a hair out of place whether dodging bullets or saving the hapless “tourist” with a crush on her. She provides eye candy but little more; sadly a hallmark of her fading, inglorious career in front of the camera.
Considering Depp’s propensity for interpretations that lean more toward the colourful than strait-laced – as when in Captain Jack Sparrow mode - it’s a little demoralising to see him underplaying his role so much here. He really does appear to be sleepwalking through the part, Frank’s limited range of emotional responses diluted further by the gaping void left by questions that would seem likely to spring forth from the mouth of any reasonable person: who are you? What are you doing? for example). Hindsight is a wonderful and convenient thing however and with a significant (though hopelessly underplayed) twist on the way, some of the discrepancies may seem excusable at least as the credits roll.
Bettany is the stock-standard pursuer, his boringly persistent agent lifted from the pages of a trillion potboilers. Although he’s given little to do and asked to exhibit virtually no range beyond a one-note recitation of orders to his underlings, it’s hard to feel sorry for the guy. Turn down a role like this and you risk missing out on a sizeable paycheque, a gorgeous view outside your trailer, and intermittently engaging in meaningless verbal jousting with some very famous stars. What’s not to love, credibility be damned?
At least James Newton Howard’s lively score raises the general standard, especially in the otherwise uninspiring action scenes, whilst the attractive backdrop is effectively wrought by the experienced, Oscar-winning Australian cinematographer, John Seale.
The Tourist may not be awful exactly but there’s precious little connection to the real world on display, the whole thing playing out like an insipid pantomime unable to make a connection with either our emotions or intellect. The level of belief the filmmakers are asking us to suspend here is just too much of a stretch, a fact that ultimately sinks this uninspiring mystery. It's a shame too because it's based on Jerome Salles’ very respectable Anthony Zimmer (2005) in which the pairing of Sophie Marceau and Yvan Attal at least shared a modicum of chemistry.
There’s another bitter pill to swallow in seeing names of the ilk of Christopher McQuarrie, writer of The Usual Suspects, and Julian Fellowes, writer of Gosford Park, credited with working on the screenplay, and seperately it seems, obviously all failing to concoct a singular, acceptable vision of their own. A major disappointment, though taking into consideration the long-term downward trajectory of Jolie's career, not entirely unexpected. It's the presence of the usually relaible Depp which makes this such a painful realisation.
The Tourist opens in Australian cinemas on December 26.
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