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Directed
By: John Boorman
Starring: Pierce Brosnan, Geoffrey Rush, Jamie Lee Curtis,
Leonor Varela, Brendan Gleeson, Harold Pinter, Catherine McCormack
Rated: R (Language / Nudity) Running Time: 120 Minutes
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Panama...
a place where anyone can be bought, no one can be trusted,
and the only thing more dangerous than a lie is the truth.
This is where British Agent Andy Osnard, played by Pierce
Brosnan, has been unlucky enough to be transferred. He's been
banished to Panama by MI-6 for committing a certain James-Bondian
impropriety, though, unlike Agent Osnard, I doubt that 007
would ever have let himself get caught in the, shall we say,
act? Osnard, never one to resist a challenge, ambitiously
goes about finding a way to extricate himself from this tropical
torture, and figures out how to line his wallet in the process.
With the help of a relocated taylor, Harry Pendel, played
by Geoffrey Rush, Osnard soon gets more than he bargained
for.
Based
on the novel by John Le Carre', and labeled a dramatic thriller
by most everyone, The Taylor of Panama is actually a very
good political satire. Those who have seen this film and think
it's dramatic just aren't getting all the jokes! The script
is full of wonderfully dry wit, and Brosnan and Rush share
the spotlight quite well, each character having his own quirks
and complications. I especially enjoyed Brosnan's slimy portrayal
of Osnard, who constantly attempts to romanticize his profession,
even though the real world keeps destroying his glorified
notions about working on Her Majesty's Secret Service. Rush
was also very good as Pendel, the prevaricating taylor whose
inside information has the potential to topple governments.
The
film has also been cast with a droll sense of humor, first
with Brosnan as Agent Osnard, and next with True Lies star
Jamie Lee Curtis as Pendel's unsuspecting wife, who has no
idea that her husband has taken on the role of spy.
Boorman's direction is adequate and not overly intrusive.
He knows the story he has to tell, and gets the job done.
No fancy editing or flashy high-tech movie gimmicks here,
just good solid filmmaking. However, in keeping with this
proper British approach, it does take a while for the story
to set up the many events that transpire in the third act,
so a certain amount of patience is required to fully enjoy
this film.
As
far as acting goes, the entire cast was very good, and this
is Pierce Brosnan's best work to date. Yes, believe it or
not, he actually acts in this film, and does a fine job.
To sum up, those with attention spans will be rewarded handsomely
by seeing The Taylor of Panama, but those without should probably
just go back to watching MTV. Oh, and most importantly, never
tell your taylor ANYTHING, especially if you're the corrupt
ruler of a small country.
Allen
J Vestal
A.J.'s
Place: Movie and More!
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