Despite the star-studded cast of Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp, “The Tourist” fails to captivate with its lackluster plot and forgettable mystery elements.
Observing the on-screen pairing of Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie in the film “The Tourist” is like witnessing a chemistry experiment gone awry. These two attractive and talented actors would seemingly create cinematic magic together, but unfortunately, their performances fall flat. It’s worth noting that director Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, known for his award-winning espionage thriller “The Lives of Others,” makes his Hollywood debut with this film. However, the only similarity between the two movies seems to be a shared interest in the art of surveillance.
Jolie’s character in the movie, Elise, is portrayed as a mysterious British woman and is being followed by Interpol and Scotland Yard. However, unlike her real-life persona, she is not being pursued by the paparazzi. While on a train to Venice, Elise meets Frank, a math teacher from Wisconsin who is on vacation. Johnny Depp plays Frank’s character, and his portrayal is quite dull, much like a typical community college professor. Elise seems to have a connection with Alexander Pearce, a former lover who has allegedly stolen a large sum of money from the mob and is now being hunted by both the law enforcement agencies and the mafia. Interestingly, Frank keeps getting mistaken for Alexander, but we never see the latter in the movie.
The whole gimmick in “The Tourist” seems to revolve around the two A-list actors. I don’t really mind if a movie is made just to showcase their star power, some of my favorite films like “Charade” and “To Catch a Thief” are exactly that. However, it seems like these days, celebrities need to constantly prove their worth and maintain their status, regardless of how much they’re being paid. Johnny Depp has already established himself as a unique and talented actor, so I guess he can afford to be mediocre once in a while (though not at our expense). On the other hand, Angelina Jolie seems to rely on her looks and action sequences rather than her acting skills. It worked in “Salt” because it suited the character, but in “The Tourist” she’s supposed to be playing a woman in love, and her blank expression just doesn’t cut it.