I guess the movie going public saw Tom Hanks trapped on and island too recently to flock out to see him stuck in an airport terminal. Maybe, it was the fact that the American icon wasn't playing an American. The Terminal wasn't a flop, but certainly under achieved for a Hanks/Speilberg teaming.
The film actually doesn't really have an evidence of Speilberg's finger prints with the exception of John William's score and it's heart of the film designed to make you root for the lead character.
Tom Hank's character can't go home since his country is in a civil war and America doesn't regonize the new country so he can't really step foot in on American soil. So, he is basically stuck in a NYC airport.
There are worse places to be stuck. In fact the terminal looks like a fairly fun place to spend a day. You can do lots of shopping, and grab a bite to eat at various resturants. It is in better shape than the Echelon Mall.
However, Hanks is being kept in check by the the new head of the Terminal whose motive eventually shifts to spite in order to keep the Russian (I won't attempt to spell the actual country he is from, however he sounds Russian) accented Hanks in limbo.
Hanks decides to make the most of it and does more work than many Americans actually feel like doing. He quickly learns returning shopping carts earns you a quarter if the shopper was too lazy to return it on their own. This provides him with the money to eat everything from Burger King he can get his hands on (he wasn't supersized though) I guess Burger King paid a lot to get their name in this film.
Along the way, Hanks befriends various employees of the Terminal, including an Indian with a shady past, a love struck spanish janitor guy, and a sexy flight attendent.
Eventually, Hanks starts working jobs remodeling parts of the terminal, which is handing since it's about a 2 minute commute on foot from where he sleeps.
The movie boasts a rarity in today's films a wonderfully designed set, that you forget that it wasn't actually filmed in a terminal. The film also captures all the elements of a feel good American Movies. The underdog, the love story, the love to hate him rival of the lead, the melting pot charcters, and humor.
A delightful date movie, and one that its hard to hate. Although I don't imagine anyone will remember this in the list of Speilberg's legacy. It was nice to see Hanks have some fun for a change, after the serious role in the mildly confused Catch Me If You Can, and the jaw droppingly dull performance devoid of an once of his famous stage presence in the unwatchable Road to Perdition.
Hanks has brilliant comedic gift that he rarely uses anymore. This wasn't on the level of his loveable 80's films, but he reminded me of the old school Hanks a few times.
A generally fun movie worth your time. Sorry Drew, no british accents.
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2 comments:
I'll be posting my review of The Terminal on Monday. I liked it a lot less than you did. Also, if you like Tom Hanks comedy (and I know you do), definitely see The Ladykillers when it hits video stores. It's not great, and it's nothing like Hanks's performances of the 80s. But it is funny.
I was it in theaters..good fun. A lot more silly than I thought it was going to be, but nice to see Hanks having fun again after so many serious roles.
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