Movie Review: 'The Tourist'

The Tourist Starring Johnny Depp, Angelina Jolie Directed by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck Rated PG-13

The Tourist has a recipe for success; action, suspense, drama, mystery, romance... not to mention two of the biggest actors in film today. It revolves around the hunt for one Alexander Pearce, who stole $2.3 billion from a mob boss. Both the authorities and gangsters are after him, but he hasn't been seen in years. Their only link is the woman that he loves, Elise Clifton-Ward (Angelina Jolie). The police are following her, and the mobsters have their contacts within the authorities. Elise, after years of waiting, is finally contacted by Alexander. She receives a note that tells her to take a train to Italy, and find someone that's Alexander's height and build, to throw off the people after him.

So where does this go wrong?

On the train, Elise notices Frank Tupelo (Johnny Depp) sitting alone, reading a book and smoking a smokeless cigarette. From their first awkward encounter, we can't help but feel uncomfortable watching these two interact on the screen. There's just nothing there. We can excuse plot holes, obvious story twists, almost anything if we can understand the character's motives for what they do. But not for one moment do you notice any emotion between Elise and Frank.

This works for a bit in Jolie's favor, as it seems Elise...

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New Trailer for Depp, Jolie's The Tourist: I Don't Know What "Ravishing" Means, Either

If he looks concerned: it's only the mustache.

Columbia Pictures has released the trailer for The Tourist, a remake of the 2005 French film Anthony Zimmer.  I know, I know. "More remakes?", you say?  However, I'm going to give this one the benefit of the doubt, as long as I can, for a few reasons.

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First Look at Johnny and Angelina in 'The Tourist'

Here's our first look at Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp in The Tourist, courtesy of Coming Soon. You can enlarge the photo if you want, but what you see here pretty much tells the whole story.

The film has been through a few changes already, both in front of and behind the camera, but it's hard to knock the stars and The Tourist is now going to be directed by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, whose feature debut was The Lives of Others, one of the best movies of the past ten years.

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Depp, Cuarón Taking a Trip With Angelina's 'Tourist'?

Remember the stupid bit in the first couple Mission: Impossible movies where everybody would rip their faces off to reveal someone new underneath? That must be the blueprint for The Tourist, a film that has undergone massive changes in important positions, all in the last couple months. When Tom Cruise was interested, the film had director Bharat Nalluri and Charlize Theron. Cruise dropped out and was replaced by Sam Worthington, and all systems were go.

Then Nalluri left, following by a departure by Theron. No worries: That's what Angelina Jolies are for. But there was still no director. It looked for a while like it would be Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck (The Lives of Others), but he turned down the project. Oh, and did we mention Sam Worthington has found better things to do with his time? Yeah, apparently so. As the project stands now, according to The Hollywood Reporter, Johnny Depp might replace Worthington and Alfonso Cuarón is in negotiations to direct. So wait a minute. This movie lost its leading man (twice), its leading lady, and its director...and it got appreciably better? Has that ever happened before?

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