Tempo

Rating:
Summary: Utterly Forgettable Thriller / Drama: Very Dull Indeed
Review: Melanie Griffith, Rachel Leigh Cook, and Hugh Dancy star in this straight-to-video film about one female transporter, who gets into trouble because of someone plotting against her. Well, that's all about it, apparently, but the film tries to give something unique to the otherwise unoriginal plot.

I mean, the slightly original character of Sarah by Melanie Griffth, who plays that smuggler in trouble. Given a special job by Malcom McDowell with his customary 'I-could-be-very-baaaad' smile, Sarah agrees to carry a pack hidden in her bag. But as you know, someone also wants that package, and ... well, that's nothing new, but she is attacked on the way.

DON'T EXPECT ANY THRILLER, however. The film's focus is not about that; it is the relations about Sarah and Jack (Dancy) who live together in a fancy Paris apartment. But while Sarah is away from Paris on business, Jack is attracted to a younger lady Jenny (Cook) who also falls for him.

Thus the film makes an effort to include both love and crime. Nice try, considering this interesting point about the character of elder lady Sarah, but if the factor is taken away from the film, the end result is nothing but a flat, tired suspence -- suspence as to its relations and its crimes alike. Either way, the film is emotilnally very void.

OK. two fatally bad things: one, too incredible characters. See, Sarah is a professional courier who must know the rules of the job, which could be dangerous. But instead of renting a car (and it's Europe, where that could be pretty easy), she takes a train (and a night train!) in which she becomes an easy target. In this way, the film misses every chance to make it more suspenceful. When some character(s) must die, they die like characters in old video games -- they fall, that's all.

The other one; acting. Let me be honest. It was painful to watch the one-dimentional performance of Melanie Griffith, who was very good in 'Another Day in Paradise.' Maybe she is not the greatest actor, but certainly she can act. But as far as 'Tempo' is concerned, no, I don't think so.

Only the location of Paris saves this film from utter forgettableness. Forget about this one.

Rating:
Summary: More to the story than first viewing reveals
Review: TEMPO is an odd sort of film. It seems to be caught up in camera tricks, rapid sequence photography, and in search of a story to follow. Sarah (Melanie Griffith) is a middle-aged, beautiful lady who lives high in Paris with a 'kept lover' Jack (Hugh Dancy) and supports her lifestyle by being a runner for the black market transportation of antique bric-a-brac, a life of crime she shares with Jack. Her past is cloaked in mystery, but she seems to hide some deep pains by her co-habitation with the young and handsome Jack. While off on what appears to be a routine "job" in Munich, Jack meets and flips for a very young girl Jenny (Rachel Leigh Cook) sent to Paris by her wealthy family to 'get her out of their hair'. She works in a classy Parisian jewelry shop and has all the rights of a trusted shop girl. The two carry on a steamy encounter until Sarah returns unexpectedly from a botched 'job', desperate and on the run to find money to resolve a shady dealing. It is at this point that the film becomes poignant, not because of the speed of the resolution of the story of how the money is obtained, but because of Sarah's being forced to face the fact that her young lover has found another younger mate. In her search of resolution we are allowed to learn Sarah's sad background and how she came to be in the state in which she finds herself - an aging woman with a past, in dire need for a real love. Melanie Griffith does a fine job finding this vulnerable state and it is her interaction with Dancy and Cook that makes this little mystery/chase movie worthwhile. There are other good performances (including Malcolm McDowell) and the 'tempo' of direction by Eric Styles is full fast forward most of the time. Worthy of your time, more as a character study than an action flick.

Rating:
Summary: More to the story than first viewing reveals
Review: TEMPO is an odd sort of film. It seems to be caught up in camera tricks, rapid sequence photography, and in search of a story to follow. Sarah (Melanie Griffith) is a middle-aged, beautiful lady who lives high in Paris with a 'kept lover' Jack (Hugh Dancy) and supports her lifestyle by being a runner for the black market transportation of antique bric-a-brac, a life of crime she shares with Jack. Her past is cloaked in mystery, but she seems to hide some deep pains by her co-habitation with the young and handsome Jack. While off on what appears to be a routine "job" in Munich, Jack meets and flips for a very young girl Jenny (Rachel Leigh Cook) sent to Paris by her wealthy family to 'get her out of their hair'. She works in a classy Parisian jewelry shop and has all the rights of a trusted shop girl. The two carry on a steamy encounter until Sarah returns unexpectedly from a botched 'job', desperate and on the run to find money to resolve a shady dealing. It is at this point that the film becomes poignant, not because of the speed of the resolution of the story of how the money is obtained, but because of Sarah's being forced to face the fact that her young lover has found another younger mate. In her search of resolution we are allowed to learn Sarah's sad background and how she came to be in the state in which she finds herself - an aging woman with a past, in dire need for a real love. Melanie Griffith does a fine job finding this vulnerable state and it is her interaction with Dancy and Cook that makes this little mystery/chase movie worthwhile. There are other good performances (including Malcolm McDowell) and the 'tempo' of direction by Eric Styles is full fast forward most of the time. Worthy of your time, more as a character study than an action flick.

Rating:
Summary: One of Rachael Liegh Cook's More Sexier Roles
Review: This is an okay movie,and I'll let other's review the movie itself. I just want to say that I was shocked(but not in a condemning way)that Rachael had a love scene in which she was topless. Even though her back was to the camera, she has made a big deal in past interviews about not being nude or how she didn't even want to have a body double used for a nude scene. The love scene itself was not spectacular, but I feel it shows how Rachael is matureing as an actress.

Rating:
Summary: 2 Stars Merely for Mr. Dancy
Review: This movie is so weak I can barely explain how it has damaged me. It seems to rest somewhere between mainstream and indie styles, but in either genre it is a hollow movie. The only good thing about this movie is Hugh Dancy. I love him as an actor (and it doesn't hurt that he's attractive), but I am horribly disappointed in his choice to participate in this film. Bad Hugh. Slap on the wrist and let's all move on, okay? If you need me I'll be in my room, crouched in the fetal position and whimpering softly to myself. Need.....developed.....script.....NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!