Reviews

The only really good thing about this movie is Jeremy Iron's show-stealing performance as head of the Nameless Bank. Other than that I have to say I don't understand the positive reviews. It is, frankly, boring. It's not a "thriller" as there isn't one single thrilling moment. Most of the characters are a bit ridiculous and there's so many of them vying for position on the screen it's hard to know who you're supposed to be rooting for: Zachary Quinto? Stanley Tucci? Kevin Spacey? Spacey's fake tan is unintentionally hilarious. Also I don't think morally centered characters suit him. He's always cast as a bad guy these days and it suits him better.

The non-existent plot is repeated over and over: analyst discovers model was incorrect and predicts impending doom for the Nameless Bank. Calls his boss and explains it. His boss calls HIS boss and explains it. His boss calls HIS BOSS and so on and so forth. Helicpoters fly in with execs on board. Eventually they decide what they're going to do and they do it. They're afraid that Stanley Tucci will go rogue but they talk to him and he's fine. Nothing really happens. There's no tension.

Perhaps the most laughable character is Seth, the 23 year old junior analyst who for the entire movie doesn't seem to give a crap about this job or the Nameless Bank as a whole - he spends most of the first few hours drinking for crying out loud. Then when he realises he's going to probably lose his job we find him crying in a toilet cubicle and saying this is all he ever wanted to do. Really?? Demi Moore phones it in and shares one of the most bafflingly boring scenes ever committed to screen with Stanley Tucci when she learns she will have to fall on her sword.

Much ado about nothing.

An American, A dutchman and an Irishman walk into a bar...It sounds like the beginning of a bad joke but it's the middle of a mediocre movie that could have (should have!) been great.

Frankly I'm a little baffled by the glowing reviews and the "best movie ever" superlatives from some of the other users here. In the end this is an overlong, highly unoriginal movie with clumsy dialogue and clichéd characters.

The story of Martin Sheen walking the camino to complete his dead son's journey had all the potential to be great. Instead it stayed so far within its comfort zone it was a real bore.

A special mention goes to the clichéd characters: a dutchman who does drugs and parties (no way!) but has decided to walk the 800km to "lose weight" for a wedding. I'm sorry? There are far more effective ways to lose some weight; an Irish writer with writer's block whose every utterance made me cringe - particularly his opening monologue about writers. And a Canadian woman, who is angry at....what exactly? Throw in some clichéd, unbelievably friendly locals who react to our four pilgrims arrival in the various towns as if they're the first they've seen in months in spite of the fact that literally hundreds of people are doing this trek everyday. A particular shout-out goes to the Spanish gypsy in this respect.

I was also kind of surprised that Estevez's character, Daniel, is still yelled at by his Dad for not doing anything with his life even though he's nearly 40. Time to get over it I think.

I have some friends who did the last part of the Camino de Santiago and they said that you had to get to each town early to be sure of a bed that night - not like our 4 intrepid trekkers who can rock up whenever they want and have a choice of hostels! Also, they had sores and blisters on their feet after 2 days and they would be fairly fit guys. Sheen on the other hand, despite not being fit enough to walk around a golf course, hardly has to stop for a breath.

But OK, there is some poetic licence involved in movie-making.

The positives: The scenery is beautiful; Sheen is in standard Sheen mode, uptight and dignified; and there are a few genuinely funny and moving moments.

But every time something happens that makes you think "maybe this movie is alright" something happens that is completely unrealistic and condescending. The final scene was the nail in the coffin, so to speak, with all characters giving an only-in-the-movies one line sign off before leaving individually.

A real disappointment.

Well this movie actually made me feel so strongly that I signed up for an IMDb account just to warn people. It is patently AWFUL!! NOTHING makes sense in this movie. There is way too many subplots for a start. Josh Hartnett's character is an aspiring actor and yoga instructor as well as a cop who seems to be living way beyond his means and only teaches yoga to hot girls (Some of whom wait naked in his jacuzzi for when he comes back from work). Add to that the fact that his dad was killed by a crooked cop who just so happens to be in on the current crime being investigated by the hapless duo. Harrison Ford's character is trying to sell real estate on the side and is sleeping with the Internal Affairs investigator's ex-wife who happens to run a psychic radio show which Ford's character calls from time to time. NONSENSE!!

I can't remember the characters names (that's how forgettable this is) so I'll refer to them as Ford and Hartnett.

Then there's the dialogue which is brutal. I mean cringe-inducing stuff here. Throw in every cliché in the book (having a heart-to-heart in a dark bar during the day over a drink where the bartender knows his name; the duo being investigated by internal affairs (why??); hartnett confronting his dad's killer) and you've got one hell of a mess.

As I mentioned the plot is preposterous and continuity is non-existent: 1) When Ford's car is being repossessed, how the hell did the repo guys know where it would be parked? Were they following him?? 2) When Hartnett goes to the morgue and it just so happens that the only clue from the crime scene (an earring) is replicated on of the charred bodies there (that was lucky!) 3) When the two are arrested and taken in for questioning - Ford keeps answering his phone and Hartnett "centers himself" with a yoga pose on the table. Instead of taking the phone from Ford the IA guy waits for it to ring each time and then tries to grab it off the table before Ford does. Meanwhile the female IA officer in with Hartnett is rubbing herself all over him. Then, inexplicably, the two are released without answering any questions. 4) During the car chase Hartnett's car is crashing and smashing its way around Hollywood but then suddenly the car is perfect again. Not a scratch! 5) When Ford chases the bad guy into the building and he gets in the elevator how the hell does he know which floor the bad guy got off at?? 6) When the two are chasing the bad guy around in hartnett's car, Ford is trying to close a real estate deal. Come on! 7) The bad guy is the most unconvincing record exec ever. His motivation for killing an aspiring group of rappers on his label? They might leave his label and it's a warning to keep his other groups loyal. But hang on, how is he ever going to sign anyone new with that business plan?? 8) Why is the IA guy who is investigating Ford arrested in the end? There is no explication!! 9) And Hartnett gets to use his "acting" to capture the bad guy in the end.

I could go on, I really could. Anyone who is looking deeper into this movie than a straight up action comedy needs their head examined because that's all it is. There's nothing else to it! It's not supposed to be satirical or ironic. It's just crap.