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Tourist, The

3/10

Stars: Angelina Jolie, Johnny Depp, Paul Bettany, Steven Berkoff

Director: Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck

Any film thriller fans failing to guess the 'twist' at the end of this one after a maximum of 10 minutes should be taken out, flogged and deprived of their thriller-film membership card. Running like a latter-day vehicle for Sophia Loren, this is way, way beneath the talents of Jolie (required to do almost nothing) and Depp.

Angelina is a British agent after a gang of crooks, as well as the mysterious Alexander Pearce, who may be her lover, but who owes the British government 744 million pounds in back taxes.

Given that we could do with that much to bolster the education budget, there's little else but pretty views of Venice to recommend this sappy and slender story that mysteriously attracted the talents of its stars.

Somehow, the picturesque - but not picaresque - anecdote takes 107 minutes to unfold, as agent Jolie picks up tourist Depp as cover for her desperately unexciting mission. Sparkling dialogue might help, but there's none on offer. And the two stars, straitjacketed by their roles, have never been less charismatic.

David Quinlan

USA 2010. UK Distributor: Optimum. Colour.
107 minutes. Widescreen. UK certificate: 12A.

Guidance ratings (out of 3): Sex/nudity 0, Violence/Horror 0, Drugs 0, Swearing 1.

Review date: 09 Dec 2010