The movie “The Tourist” splashed onto the big screen in December 2010. It’s been called variously a drama, a thriller and a comedy (interesting combination, don’t you think?) It’s a story about a case of mistaken identity; but is the mistake the movie itself? Let’s find out.
The Story Premise
The premise of the story is that Frank (played by Johnny Depp) is an American tourist to Paris who is mistaken for Alexander Pearce, a man whom he resembles…and who has a rather large price on this head. The matter isn’t helped any by Elise (played by Angelina Jolie), because she is the root cause of Frank’s mistaken identity. By getting on a train and picking him out for a dalliance, Elise has put Frank in the center of a growing web of intrigue.
The train is on its way from Paris to Venice, and Frank falls for Elise. Elise, on the other hand, is only doing what she is told; to make the people who are following her think that Frank is Alexander. But it’s the kiss that seals Frank’s fate (in more ways than one).
The Plot of The Tourist Thickens
The plot to The Tourist gets ever more complex. Strange men break into Frank’s hotel room in Venice, and Frank escapes, only to be caught by the Italian police. Elise rescues him, only to reveal that she is a British secret agent, working under cover.
From there, it gets complicated, with various sub-plots involving Frank, Elsie and Alexander. Not to mention a large sum of money that everyone wants to get their hands on! In the end, however, the money is restored to its rightful owner, and Frank and Elise sail off, together.
Should You Pay a Visit to The Tourist?
As seems the case with many movies, the critics and the moviegoers are somewhat at odds. The film has been nominated for Golden Globe awards, although the nominators had a hard time what category to put this movie into! They finally decided that this movie fit best into the “Musical or Comedy” category.
The Tourist was a box-office success, but a lot of that seemed to be fans of Jolie and Depp wanting to see them on screen. The people coming out of the movie gave it a so-so rating.
Should you pay a visit to The Tourist? If you are a fan of either Depp or Jolie, or are looking for something a little out of the ordinary (remember, comedy/drama/thriller), then you may enjoy this movie.