I think Alfred Hitchcock would have enjoyed the premise of Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck’s The Tourist. The film centers on a wrongly-accused man and an icily beautiful woman, two archetypes that the Master of Suspense revisited often. But a dearth of suspense and onscreen chemistry would likely stop Hitchcock from admiring this would-be romantic thriller. Despite an A-list cast and lushly romantic locations, The Tourist is disappointingly bland.
Scotland Yard is following Elise (Angelina Jolie), an Englishwoman in Paris who wants to arrange a tryst with her lover, a fugitive named Alexander Pearce. A note from Alexander instructs Elise to board a train for Venice. While on board, she must meet a stranger who resembles Alexander and convince the authorities the stranger is him. Elise finds the perfect candidate in Frank (Johnny Depp), an American school teacher who is flattered by her attention. Once in Venice, not only do the police follow Frank, but so does the Russian mob. Led by the dastardly Ivan (Steven Berkoff), the Russians want the money Alexander stole from them. Frank falls for Elise amidst these deadly pursuers, and while the real Alexander remains elusive, Elise slowly reciprocates Frank’s affection.
Lacking energy or wit, the leading actors seem bored with their characters. Depp has made a career of memorably quirky roles, but as Frank the Everyman, a noticeably pudgy Depp sleepwalks through his performance. Early scenes have promise, as Depp makes Frank the sort of guy who knows it’s unwise to ask questions when women show interest in him. Unfortunately, the understated approach continues even when armed gangsters chase Frank across Venice’s rooftops. As Elise, Jolie conveys ample mystery, yet reticence remains when Elise should be developing a rapport with Frank. Both actors have shown they’re capable of searing onscreen sexiness, but this pairing is so lifeless von Donnersmarck could have achieved the same result with wax figures. Reliable supporting actors like Paul Bettany and Timothy Dalton do their best to liven the proceedings, but the half-baked central relationship undermines their efforts.
From The Talented Mr. Ripley to Casino Royale, Venice has been a sublime location for recent thrillers. It is unfortunate the director squanders the city’s ample charm with lifeless chase sequences. The deliberate editing makes it easy to comprehend what is happening, but there is little sense of exhilaration. When the movie reaches its climax, awkward heroism subverts the opportunity for palpable suspense. And the film’s score, composed by the usually-reliable James Newton Howard, is schmaltzy to the point of distraction. Like those working in front of the camera, von Donnersmarck and his team stumble through material that should be handled with serene confidence.
Co-written by the director along with veterans Christopher McQuarrie and Julian Fellowes, the screenplay strives to relive the handsomely mounted films of Hollywood’s Golden Age. In fact, The Tourist could have easily been set 50 years ago (a few high-tech updates notwithstanding). After a somber Cold War thriller like The Lives of Others, I can see why von Donnersmarck would choose lighthearted fare as his follow-up. Still, he should stick with what he knows best for his next film, as this disastrous misfire reminds us how star power cannot create a positive sheen like it once could.
