William Hurt gives one of the most intensely interior performances on record. He is indescribable moving. His emotional paralysis becomes the palpitating centre of this gorgeous Lawrence Kasdan film. I saw the film, when it first come out, on a big huge screen that allowed me the strangely unique privilege of entering a man's soul. In the surface, nothing. Less than nothing, William Hurt floats through his daily existence, surrounded by his quirky family, his wounded, distant ex wife but first and foremost, his impenetrable loneliness. The character never utters a word who could confirm that, and yet is there, ever present, if you look deep, deep into his eyes. The scene in which he almost lets himself go in Geena Davis's arms is as cathartic as anything I've ever seen in any modern American movie. A couple of days ago I saw it again on a normal TV screen and all of the above wasn't there. Still a gorgeous film, a funny, melancholic romantic comedy but what about the interior masterpiece of William Hurt's performance? Gone. Did I imagine the whole emotional ride? Possible but unlikely. I took my VHS copy to a friend's house with a phenomenal home entertainment centre and a massive screen. William Hurt's performance was back. His is a performance conceived and designed for the big screen. One hundred per cent cinematic. The TV screen is far too small to allow us into a man's soul. If you haven't seen it I urge you to see it but in a big screen, the biggest you can find. Now let me leave you with this little tip. Look into William Hurt's eyes when he is in the taxi in Paris and sees the boy, who reminds him of his own son, walking down the street. It is the best performances by an actor in one of my favourite film moments of all time.
118 Reviews
Hurt's dilemma has got to hurt.
mark.waltz12 September 2020
Warning: Spoilers
This is a personal drama focusing on the changes in a man's life that occurs when his wife of many years ups and leaves him. No, this is not a "Kramer Vs. Kramer" story. In fact, it is quite different. Nor is it a "War of the Roses" story. The separation is amicable, a nice agreement since wife Kathleen Turner has found no purpose in life since the senseless murder of their 12 year old son. Husband William Hurt is left with the house and his dog, boarding him up with perky Geena Davis when he goes off to London to write his latest edition of travel books, hence the film's title. Flirtatious Davis takes on the role of the new lady in Hurt's life, but during the week that his divorce is set to be final, Turner shows up and tells him that she wants to resume their marriage.
When I first saw this film upon the VHS release, I ranked it as a 5 out of 10, but in a more mature mood upon revisiting, I must agree that it is better than I thought if not deserving of all the Acclaim it got at the time. The reason I didn't find it as good at the time was the fact that the actors, best known for playing flamboyant characters, we're playing rather Ordinary People and it seems rather stiff and slow-moving to me. But now, it has all come together so I guess with age comes understanding.
It is nice to see Turner playing a softer character than normal, torn apart by grieving for her son, and lost in the fact that she is no good in a marriage that is simply a day-to-day occurrence rather than a giving partnership. Her screen time is not quite the leading lady of her other films, but when she is on screen, you can't help but not look at her. She is absolutely stunning, both inside and out.
Hurt is an actor whom I admire for strong performances, but at times, he seems to be rather stayed and stiff. Sometimes, that is a little bit Joel to try to appreciate, but in this case, it absolutely works. He is a man still in grief, not only for his son before his marriage, and the hurricane shows with his wife's announcement is written all over his face. But once he meets Davis, it is obvious that life has returned to him.
The breakout is Davis, not quite an unknown yet needing that one big career boost to move her from supporting player or lead in second-rate features to a major screen actress. She is effervescent, and while Turner is certainly a force, Davis comes out the tops of all the stars. Winning the supporting actress Oscar for what was basically a lead comes because the film theme surrounds Hurt, although my Supporting Oscar choice would have been the very flamboyant Sigourney Weaver in "Working Girl". So while I don't exactly love this film, I do get its appeal. I just wish that it had a bit more life that Hurt can only find through the tragedy of death.
When I first saw this film upon the VHS release, I ranked it as a 5 out of 10, but in a more mature mood upon revisiting, I must agree that it is better than I thought if not deserving of all the Acclaim it got at the time. The reason I didn't find it as good at the time was the fact that the actors, best known for playing flamboyant characters, we're playing rather Ordinary People and it seems rather stiff and slow-moving to me. But now, it has all come together so I guess with age comes understanding.
It is nice to see Turner playing a softer character than normal, torn apart by grieving for her son, and lost in the fact that she is no good in a marriage that is simply a day-to-day occurrence rather than a giving partnership. Her screen time is not quite the leading lady of her other films, but when she is on screen, you can't help but not look at her. She is absolutely stunning, both inside and out.
Hurt is an actor whom I admire for strong performances, but at times, he seems to be rather stayed and stiff. Sometimes, that is a little bit Joel to try to appreciate, but in this case, it absolutely works. He is a man still in grief, not only for his son before his marriage, and the hurricane shows with his wife's announcement is written all over his face. But once he meets Davis, it is obvious that life has returned to him.
The breakout is Davis, not quite an unknown yet needing that one big career boost to move her from supporting player or lead in second-rate features to a major screen actress. She is effervescent, and while Turner is certainly a force, Davis comes out the tops of all the stars. Winning the supporting actress Oscar for what was basically a lead comes because the film theme surrounds Hurt, although my Supporting Oscar choice would have been the very flamboyant Sigourney Weaver in "Working Girl". So while I don't exactly love this film, I do get its appeal. I just wish that it had a bit more life that Hurt can only find through the tragedy of death.
glacial pace
roedyg26 August 2012
The DVD cover bills this as "astonishingly, irresistibly funny". Edward the dog is funny, but the people are not.
From the title, you would think the movie revolved around travel, but the only travel is a visit to a mundane hotel room in France you don't get to leave.
The big problem with this movie is the central character Macon is unsympathetic. He is boring, rude, insensitive, self-centred. He is pathologically passive. He speaks in a taciturn monotone. His job it taking the adventure of of travel, writing guides on where to find Burger King and MacDonalds outlets in Europe.
There are three romantic relationships in the movie. I could not not for the life of me see what any of the parties saw in any of the others.
That created some humour, Geena Davis's dogged pursuit of William Hurt who always responded like a limp dishrag.
It was a very frustrating movie. I wanted ANYTHING to happen to break the tedium of watching people going about their very boring lives.
There is only one scene in the movie that really touches the heart, when Macon sees a French boy who resembles his murdered son, but you have to wait to almost the end for it.
From the title, you would think the movie revolved around travel, but the only travel is a visit to a mundane hotel room in France you don't get to leave.
The big problem with this movie is the central character Macon is unsympathetic. He is boring, rude, insensitive, self-centred. He is pathologically passive. He speaks in a taciturn monotone. His job it taking the adventure of of travel, writing guides on where to find Burger King and MacDonalds outlets in Europe.
There are three romantic relationships in the movie. I could not not for the life of me see what any of the parties saw in any of the others.
That created some humour, Geena Davis's dogged pursuit of William Hurt who always responded like a limp dishrag.
It was a very frustrating movie. I wanted ANYTHING to happen to break the tedium of watching people going about their very boring lives.
There is only one scene in the movie that really touches the heart, when Macon sees a French boy who resembles his murdered son, but you have to wait to almost the end for it.
one of the best movies i have ever seen
leonjoel11 December 2004
the Accidental Tourist is among the best movies ever made in the world.Maybe it is not absolutely the best, but as to me it is the most well understood one. that probably is the reason why i love it so much. When i watched it, i can even felt what Macon Leary was feeling inside---i could feel the complicated mood when he called Sarah in his hotel in Paris, i can understand that his heart has already belonged to Muriel when he said it's OK to Sarah, who asked for his opinion on the newly bought sofa. he was a captious guy!and i can also read his heart when he close the door to Muriel, not willing to take her on his trip the next morning. Also i can read the deep love for Muriel on his smiling face when he met Muriel at the gate of the hotel at the end of the movie. I can't agree with some people who think this movie lacks energy. it might appear to lack, but u could have felt the passion in their hearts if u can understand them. this remind me of another movie--Once Upon A Time In America, which is also said to lack energy, but i can feel the great passion in Noodles and Deborah's heart when they "quietly" meet in the bar after Noodle was released from the jail. only a few words from Deborah can make me feel that! Just as sometimes the clothes do not make the man, sometimes the movie is not what it appears! there is seldom any good movies from which we can not feel the passion!
The Accidental Tourist
jboothmillard10 August 2009
Warning: Spoilers
From director Lawrence Kasdan (Body Heat, The Big Chill, Wyatt Earp), I had only heard of this film because the supporting actress won the Oscar, so that was a good enough reason to watch it for me. Basically, after the death of their son, travel writer Macon Leary (William Hurt) is sleep walking through life, and his wife Sarah (Kathleen Turner) wants a divorce. One day, wanting his dog to be a little controlled, Macon meets the eccentric outgoing dog trainer Muriel Pritchett (Oscar winning Geena Davis) who brings out his inner self more than ever before. They slowly start falling for each other and eventually begin a relationship, but Sarah was bound to come back at some point. She returns during the wedding of Macon's sister Rose (Amy Wright) to his publisher friend Julian Edge (Bill Pullman), and she says she wants to give their relationship another try. Of course Muriel knows this is going on, and follows Macon to the place he and Sarah are going to, making his circumstances very difficult. In the end he makes the right decision to leave Sarah for good, even when he did try to love her again, and he goes back to Muriel. Also starring Robert Hy Gorman as Alexander Pritchett, David Ogden Stiers as Porter Leary, Ed Begley Jr. as Charles Leary, Bradley Mott as Mr. Loomis and Seth Granger as Ethan Leary. Hurt is great as the suppressed travel writer, Turner is good as his questionable (ex-)wife, but for me, it was indeed David that stole the show with her award-winning performance, both amusingly strange and exceedingly nice, an enjoyable comedy drama. It was nominated the Oscar for Best Picture, Best Music for John Williams and Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium, it was nominated the BAFTA Film Award Best Adapted Screenplay, and it was nominated the Golden Globes for Best Motion Picture - Drama and Best Original Score. Very good!
"That travel-armchair isn't just your logo...it's you."
moonspinner554 September 2010
After a year of silent grief over the loss of their son, an author on the East Coast (who pens travel manuals for business-people) and his mercurial wife of 17 years separate; he gets custody of the family dog, whose need for obedience-training leads the writer to a pert, persistent dog-trainer who apparently teaches men as well as pets. Terrific adaptation of Anne Tyler's book by Frank Galati and producer-director Lawrence Kasdan, both of whom are careful not to let the characters or the eccentric comedy inherent to the story go over the top (as it might threaten to do were this a TV series). William Hurt gives yet another wonderfully precise performance; he mends a broken leg at the family home of his directionless siblings, each of whom of are very funny--though not in an outrageous way. The unconventionality of the family dynamics is touched upon so gingerly, we understand a great deal about these people without exposition. This may be some of the best directing Kasdan has ever done. Oscar-winner Geena Davis is perhaps too forceful in some of her early scenes, and Kasdan's camera appears to be checking out her figure without protagonist Hurt seemingly being aware of it. Still, their relationship, which is far from smooth, is quirky and interesting because Davis cuts right through the bull. She liberates Hurt from his grip on the past but, sadly, the formula-end of the story dictates that we must bring back the estranged wife (a wasted Kathleen Turner) for dramatic purposes. This third act loses its way, which is a shame, yet the writing here doesn't mitigate some marvelous moments and fully-realized portrayals. It's a smart, exceptional treatise on love and starting over, and Hurt proves once again to be a master at his craft. *** from ****
An Underrated Gem
Ouarda2 July 2003
This is a faithful adaption of a brilliant novel. I have seen this movie a dozen times and it gets better with each viewing. It is subtle, yes, and that probably means it is not for everyone. Subtle, however, is not synonymous with boring, as unfortunately many people accustomed to a non-stop barrage of sense-dulling special effects and violence have come to believe. This film is as far from boring as it gets.
What I walked away from this story with is a reaffirmation of a force bigger than ourselves that takes our lives in a new direction -- one that we often consciously choose to reject. Macon Leary, as superbly played by William Hurt, has been sleepwalking through life for years. His profession says it all: he writes books for business travelers who have to visit exotic places but want to feel as if they never left home. Thus, the title, "The Accidental Tourist".
He is separated from his beloved wife, Sarah, played very well by Kathleen Turner. She could no longer live in with the waking death their life had become since the senseless murder of their young son years before. But he still wants nothing more than for her to return and resume that life. Even after a quirky dog-trainer played by Geena Davis (in her well-deserved Oscar-winning performance) enters his life and his heart he believes his future can only be with Sarah.
I don't want to give away the entire story, but I will say that the entire supporting cast, Macon's family (Ed Begley, Jr., Amy Wright, David Ogden Stiers) his editor (Bill Pullman), and a scene-stealing Welsh Corgi contribute richly and completely to the overall power of this story.
Some of the best dialogue I've ever heard on relationships, why they work, and why what we want so dearly to work just doesn't work anymore, is in this film. "Don't be lulled by a false sense of security". This powerful line, is what this film is all about, and it is placed perfectly, as all the memorable lines are. Give it a chance and an open mind because this film is the real deal. In my estimation, "The Accidental Tourist" is American cinema at it's best.
What I walked away from this story with is a reaffirmation of a force bigger than ourselves that takes our lives in a new direction -- one that we often consciously choose to reject. Macon Leary, as superbly played by William Hurt, has been sleepwalking through life for years. His profession says it all: he writes books for business travelers who have to visit exotic places but want to feel as if they never left home. Thus, the title, "The Accidental Tourist".
He is separated from his beloved wife, Sarah, played very well by Kathleen Turner. She could no longer live in with the waking death their life had become since the senseless murder of their young son years before. But he still wants nothing more than for her to return and resume that life. Even after a quirky dog-trainer played by Geena Davis (in her well-deserved Oscar-winning performance) enters his life and his heart he believes his future can only be with Sarah.
I don't want to give away the entire story, but I will say that the entire supporting cast, Macon's family (Ed Begley, Jr., Amy Wright, David Ogden Stiers) his editor (Bill Pullman), and a scene-stealing Welsh Corgi contribute richly and completely to the overall power of this story.
Some of the best dialogue I've ever heard on relationships, why they work, and why what we want so dearly to work just doesn't work anymore, is in this film. "Don't be lulled by a false sense of security". This powerful line, is what this film is all about, and it is placed perfectly, as all the memorable lines are. Give it a chance and an open mind because this film is the real deal. In my estimation, "The Accidental Tourist" is American cinema at it's best.
An eccentric romance set in Baltimore
steiner-sam16 March 2022
"Accidental Tourist" is an eccentric romance set in Baltimore in the 1980s and follows a man who writes travel guides for people who don't like to travel.
Macon Leary (William Hurt) has been married to Sarah (Kathleen Turner) for 17 years. A year ago, their 12-year-old son was shot and killed in a robbery in a fast food joint. The marriage is struggling, and Sarah moves out.
For a time, Macon lives alone with his untrained dog, Edward. He leaves Edward at a place that boards dogs. It's run by Muriel Pritchett (Geena Davis), an eccentric, flashy woman with a needy seven-year-old son, Alexander (Robert Hy Gorman). Macon breaks a leg in an accident caused by Edward and moves into the old family home with his sister, Rose (Amy Wright), and two brothers, Porter (David Ogden Stiers) and Charles (Ed Begley, Jr.). We learn the whole family is very eccentric and inward-looking. We also meet Macon's publisher, Julian Edge (Bill Pullman), who is attracted to Rose.
Macon finally succumbs to Muriel's shameless flirting and moves in with her and takes a shine to her son. The movie then follows Macon's difficult journey in sorting out his relationships with Muriel and Sarah and his ultimate effort to escape the life lessons embedded in his family's history.
The movie is faithful to Anne Tyler's characters in that they are all a bit off-center in their personalities. Macon is severely repressed and has generally drifted with life; the death of his son has squeezed his life even more. This is not a comedy, but there are funny incidents throughout, especially with Macon's siblings. Hurt and Davis inhabit their roles very well. I don't find Kathleen Turner as convincing, but she is adequate. It's a modest look at what tragedy can do to relationships.
Macon Leary (William Hurt) has been married to Sarah (Kathleen Turner) for 17 years. A year ago, their 12-year-old son was shot and killed in a robbery in a fast food joint. The marriage is struggling, and Sarah moves out.
For a time, Macon lives alone with his untrained dog, Edward. He leaves Edward at a place that boards dogs. It's run by Muriel Pritchett (Geena Davis), an eccentric, flashy woman with a needy seven-year-old son, Alexander (Robert Hy Gorman). Macon breaks a leg in an accident caused by Edward and moves into the old family home with his sister, Rose (Amy Wright), and two brothers, Porter (David Ogden Stiers) and Charles (Ed Begley, Jr.). We learn the whole family is very eccentric and inward-looking. We also meet Macon's publisher, Julian Edge (Bill Pullman), who is attracted to Rose.
Macon finally succumbs to Muriel's shameless flirting and moves in with her and takes a shine to her son. The movie then follows Macon's difficult journey in sorting out his relationships with Muriel and Sarah and his ultimate effort to escape the life lessons embedded in his family's history.
The movie is faithful to Anne Tyler's characters in that they are all a bit off-center in their personalities. Macon is severely repressed and has generally drifted with life; the death of his son has squeezed his life even more. This is not a comedy, but there are funny incidents throughout, especially with Macon's siblings. Hurt and Davis inhabit their roles very well. I don't find Kathleen Turner as convincing, but she is adequate. It's a modest look at what tragedy can do to relationships.
Superb Movie with lots of food for thought.
Greensleeves20 May 2003
This is a wonderful film by Lawrence Kasdan about a man who withdraws from his relationships with other people (and the world) after a terrible family tragedy. William Hurt plays the character of 'Macon', a man who writes books for people who don't want to travel and has become as grey and dull as his suit. His wife Sarah (the vibrant Kathleen Turner) separates from him and after an accident he goes to live with his family who live a life organised by his sister, Rose (Amy Wright) and settles into a dull routine. Even his dog seems to be turning against him, then he meets Muriel (Geena Davis) when boarding his dog and she not only teaches the dog new tricks but also shows Macon that his ways can be changed too. William Hurt gives a truly marvellous performance as a man who has given up on life and has become almost catatonic. This is a film that gets better with each subsequent viewing, containing much food for thought especially for anyone that wishes for a 'safe' and 'planned' life. The wonderful dreamlike score is by John Williams and it was nominated for an Oscar amongst many nominations for this film. Thankfully this outstanding movie is now available on DVD and in the correct viewing format.
Geena Davis's first accident...
siciliankan16 October 2021
From The Accidental Tourist to Accidental Hero a few years later, both underrated films, Geena Davis plays an almost cameo part to the lead of William Hurt, a travel writer whose marriage falls apart due to the death of their son in a robbery. The script is carefully written - it is difficult to write about loss and divorce in a sympathetic but entertaining way. Geena Davis steals the show though even if her efforts are at the start in vain. With Kathleen Turner as well, the cast is very strong and as an ensemble piece is well worth watching if on, but it is a small drama that could well have been a TV movie and whilst I appreciated watching it is not one I would go out of my way to recommend to others.
Wanted to like it, gave it another chance, and...it still doesn't work.
Clothes-Off23 October 2008
I first watched this film with great anticipation, knowing it was an Oscar nominee for best picture. It looked like the kind of movie I would like. I even remember reading the description on the video box promising a delightful viewing experience, a mixture of comedy and drama. (I laugh now thinking how they oversold the movie with their glowing synopsis on that box.) Like any movie that tries too hard to be quirky, this fails. The main characters journey just simply is not compelling. I really didn't feel he deserved to meet Geena Davis's character (the film's saving grace, no wonder she won the Oscar), and I found his family of dullards to be more annoying than amusing.
I know some people here have already posted high praise for this film--but my second viewing of it years later only confirmed the things I didn't like about it the first time.
I know some people here have already posted high praise for this film--but my second viewing of it years later only confirmed the things I didn't like about it the first time.
Cinematographic pearl.
THX 11385 February 2002
I agree to almost every word reviewer Takatomon wrote. One of this movie's greatest merits is that it deals with issues in life in a unpolished and natural way. It's easy to understand how this movie can be overlooked by the majority of viewers as this movie isn't for the majority of viewers. That is, the majority that's expecting to be entertained in the Hollywood style of film making. With that I mean those "strong" performances we all want to see from characters as Hoffman in "Rain Man" or Hanks in "Forrest Gump". Or vast visuals, filmed in the broadest scope, or action packed sequences. Not in "The Accidental Tourist". What you do get is William Hurt in what I think is one of his best roles as Macon Leary, writer of travel guides and Geena Davis in an exquisite role as the pet store owner. I've admired actors for the way they can portray mentally or socially challenged people (Rainman, Forrest Gump, Of mice and men, etc.). These parts tend to win the Oscars. But I'd rather give one to Hurt for his portrayal of Macon Leary because this character doesn't show obvious signs of any handicap. Actually Macon is very plain. What can be more difficult than acting out a role of a person who's personal qualities don't jump at you right away? "The Accidental Tourist" is a movie of high quality and should be given a fair chance.
Lacks energy
howard.schumann2 May 2004
Nominated for four Academy Awards, Lawrence Kasdan's The Accidental Tourist has some remarkable performances from William Hurt, Kathleen Turner and Geena Davis, but it is lacking in energy and never really comes to life. William Hurt plays Macon Leary, a depressed writer of travel guidebooks whose purpose is to steer business travelers to accommodations and restaurants that feel most like home, considering it a triumph to ''locate a meal in London not much different from a meal in Cleveland. Macon has become withdrawn and uncommunicative since the murder of his son Ethan at a fast-food restaurant one year ago and Hurt turns Macon's passivity into an art form, barely raising his voice beyond a whisper throughout the two-hour film.
When Sarah (Kathleen Turner), Macon's wife of many years leaves him, he offers only a scant protest, content to move quietly back to his grandparents' house with his brothers and sister. The siblings, Rose (Amy Wright), Porter (David Ogden Stiers), and Charles (Ed Begley, Jr.) offer little stimulation and amply demonstrate why they are difficult to live. They obsessively alphabetize items in the pantry, play weird card games, and do not answer their telephone. Rose breaks out to marry Macon's publisher Julian (Bill Pullman) but moves back to the family house shortly afterwards because she has to look after "the boys". Macon mopes through each day, resisting any attempt to bring him out of his shell. When he locates a kennel to take care of his overly aggressive dog Edward, he meets Muriel Pritchett (Geena Davis), an eccentric and lonely dog trainer.
Muriel is a single mom who has a somewhat sickly seven-year old named Alexander and immediately zeroes in on Macon as a possible catch. Even though Macon rebuffs her overtures and they seem to have little in common, Muriel doggedly pursues him, trying to light a spark of life in the reclusive writer. Muriel seems to offer Macon a way out, but her abrasive neediness and the prospect of having deal with another child so soon after losing his own propels Macon to run the other way. When his wife Sarah returns seeking reconciliation, Macon must choose to go back to the way it was or take a chance that life could work better with Muriel.
The Accidental Tourist is based on a novel by Anne Tyler and the dialogue is literary but does not have a feeling for the way that people talk. For example, Sarah tells Macon, ''there's something muffled about the way you experience things, it's as if you were trying to slip through life unchanged.'' At the end, there is no transformation, only a turn from no aliveness to a bit more. If life is about making choices, Macon passively lets life make the choices for him and he ends up with the "lesser of two evils" more out of exhaustion than commitment. Geena Davis is deserving of an Oscar for her performance but neither her talents nor the considerable talents of Hurt and Turner could make me believe that by the end of the film any of the characters have moved one step closer to happiness.
When Sarah (Kathleen Turner), Macon's wife of many years leaves him, he offers only a scant protest, content to move quietly back to his grandparents' house with his brothers and sister. The siblings, Rose (Amy Wright), Porter (David Ogden Stiers), and Charles (Ed Begley, Jr.) offer little stimulation and amply demonstrate why they are difficult to live. They obsessively alphabetize items in the pantry, play weird card games, and do not answer their telephone. Rose breaks out to marry Macon's publisher Julian (Bill Pullman) but moves back to the family house shortly afterwards because she has to look after "the boys". Macon mopes through each day, resisting any attempt to bring him out of his shell. When he locates a kennel to take care of his overly aggressive dog Edward, he meets Muriel Pritchett (Geena Davis), an eccentric and lonely dog trainer.
Muriel is a single mom who has a somewhat sickly seven-year old named Alexander and immediately zeroes in on Macon as a possible catch. Even though Macon rebuffs her overtures and they seem to have little in common, Muriel doggedly pursues him, trying to light a spark of life in the reclusive writer. Muriel seems to offer Macon a way out, but her abrasive neediness and the prospect of having deal with another child so soon after losing his own propels Macon to run the other way. When his wife Sarah returns seeking reconciliation, Macon must choose to go back to the way it was or take a chance that life could work better with Muriel.
The Accidental Tourist is based on a novel by Anne Tyler and the dialogue is literary but does not have a feeling for the way that people talk. For example, Sarah tells Macon, ''there's something muffled about the way you experience things, it's as if you were trying to slip through life unchanged.'' At the end, there is no transformation, only a turn from no aliveness to a bit more. If life is about making choices, Macon passively lets life make the choices for him and he ends up with the "lesser of two evils" more out of exhaustion than commitment. Geena Davis is deserving of an Oscar for her performance but neither her talents nor the considerable talents of Hurt and Turner could make me believe that by the end of the film any of the characters have moved one step closer to happiness.
I could not make it through
WildBill-1524 July 1999
Take my review for what it is worth, but I could not make it through "The Accidental Tourist." I have turned off only a half dozen cassettes in my VCR-viewing career. After about an hour, I decided my life was too short to see this movie through.
Why couldn't I abide this film? For the most part, I could not care less about the characters. Quirky characters amuse me, but feeble people do not. I have never much enjoyed any Woddy Allen comedy in the last 25 years because I always want to pummel the whiner that Woody plays. William Hurt [whose work I usually enjoy] plays just such a weenie in this film.
Sorry!
Why couldn't I abide this film? For the most part, I could not care less about the characters. Quirky characters amuse me, but feeble people do not. I have never much enjoyed any Woddy Allen comedy in the last 25 years because I always want to pummel the whiner that Woody plays. William Hurt [whose work I usually enjoy] plays just such a weenie in this film.
Sorry!
One of the great American films of the last 20 years
d-walker73319 January 2004
At last,the dvd has arrived and it is a pure joy from start to finish.I was 21 when I first saw this film at the theatre and I knew it was good then,but now,a little older and wiser,I consider it a masterpiece.William Hurt's performance is mesmerising and Geena Davis is at her best.The dvd has 14 deleted scenes and I do feel sorry for Kathleen Turner,as some of her best work is on the cutting room floor.If you enjoy a real actor's movie,then this will not disappoint.The last 5 minutes,with marvellous John Williams underscoring,is sheer perfection.How this did not win best picture I shall never know.
Unsatisfied with this acclaimed drama
zetes13 March 2006
Strange, unsatisfying drama with a tinge of quirky comedy. I don't know, it didn't do too much for me. At first, I was infuriated. It felt forced and the dialogue felt so utterly written. It almost felt like the actors were reading the book out loud. I half expected Kathleen Turner to end some of her sentences with "she said". It does have an interesting message, one that everyone needs to take to heart, that it's very easy to get addicted to routines and never change your life, even when it might be much better to change it. I started to warm to it after a while, but I never crossed the line into liking it. There was one aspect about it that I really liked, though: the musical score by John Williams. Very subtle, not overused. Everything we generally wouldn't expect from John Williams.
Worth watching, but somewhat uneven
richard-178717 May 2013
This movie has a lot going for it. The acting is the best part: the three main characters - perhaps I should say the two main characters, the roles played by William Hurt and Kathleen Turner - are very three-dimensional. Those actors given their characters many dimensions, and it makes them interesting and sometimes surprising. Gena Davis also does a fine job with her role, but her character does tend to be a caricature at times.
That is the problems with most of the rest of the characters: they are written as two-dimensional, and they too often come off as oddball caricatures. I'm sure those actors could have done better with a better script concerning them, but they didn't have the chance.
Some of the moments are really remarkable, especially the scenes between Turner and Hurt. And then, some of the scenes are just wrong. The worst, for me, was the last 60 seconds of the movie, where Hurt's character meets Davis' character and the music swells: it screams "make the women in the audience happy" and seems like it was pasted on.
Equally problematic is what leads to that: the second-last scene, between Turner and Hurt, where Hurt finally explains what he sees in Davis' character. It's very interesting and intelligent dialogue - her quirky character has allowed him to try to be someone different, to get out of his old, boring rut - but the movie never really showed us that. That, for me, was a real problem.
A lot of this movie is very well done, and I recommend it. But a fair amount of it is facile caricature, and that may boor some viewers.
That is the problems with most of the rest of the characters: they are written as two-dimensional, and they too often come off as oddball caricatures. I'm sure those actors could have done better with a better script concerning them, but they didn't have the chance.
Some of the moments are really remarkable, especially the scenes between Turner and Hurt. And then, some of the scenes are just wrong. The worst, for me, was the last 60 seconds of the movie, where Hurt's character meets Davis' character and the music swells: it screams "make the women in the audience happy" and seems like it was pasted on.
Equally problematic is what leads to that: the second-last scene, between Turner and Hurt, where Hurt finally explains what he sees in Davis' character. It's very interesting and intelligent dialogue - her quirky character has allowed him to try to be someone different, to get out of his old, boring rut - but the movie never really showed us that. That, for me, was a real problem.
A lot of this movie is very well done, and I recommend it. But a fair amount of it is facile caricature, and that may boor some viewers.
Never let yourself be lulled into a false sense of security, says Hurt
MarieGabrielle7 February 2006
as he writes his travel column. His column is a metaphor for being the "passive observer" who travels and critiques places, but never truly appreciates them...not until Geena Davis comes along, at any rate.
Hurt plays Macon Leary, a man who has existed, but not truly experienced life. Kathleen Turner is the estranged wife, due to the accidental death of their young son, a tragedy which causes Hurt to withdraw. As another reviewer mentioned, one should watch this excellent film several times, as there is much innuendo and insight into human behavior. Bill Pullman portrays Hurt's publisher, who is amused and intrigued by his eccentric family.
What a cast! Ed Begley Jr., Amy Wright, Hurt and David Ogden Stiers are all siblings (over age 40), who still live in their grandmother's house, complete with 1930's wallpaper, a pantry that is alphabetically organized by the sister, and a phone that is never answered because they "don't need it". Pullman is priceless as he visits Hurt for dinner, and falls in love with Rose (Amy Wright) for her old-fashioned persona.
Macon's dog is comic relief, but also the liaison with Geena Davis, an offbeat dog-trainer. She is quite good, and insinuates her way into Macon's ordered world. She is a single mother struggling, and Robert Hy Gorman is excellent as her young son, Alexander. Macon finds himself growing attached to Davis, her son, and her wayward life. He helps the son with schoolwork, and realizes he can still be open to new relationships. Even after all the tragedy.
Kathleen Turner attempts reconciliation,and offers Macon a stable ordered life of commonality. Davis offers instability, excitement and unpredictability. Which will he choose? This is not just a romantic drama, it is a serious character study about control, relationships, and difficult choices. It is one of the few films in which the difficulties of marriage are sensitively addressed, and the acting is superb.
Hurt plays Macon Leary, a man who has existed, but not truly experienced life. Kathleen Turner is the estranged wife, due to the accidental death of their young son, a tragedy which causes Hurt to withdraw. As another reviewer mentioned, one should watch this excellent film several times, as there is much innuendo and insight into human behavior. Bill Pullman portrays Hurt's publisher, who is amused and intrigued by his eccentric family.
What a cast! Ed Begley Jr., Amy Wright, Hurt and David Ogden Stiers are all siblings (over age 40), who still live in their grandmother's house, complete with 1930's wallpaper, a pantry that is alphabetically organized by the sister, and a phone that is never answered because they "don't need it". Pullman is priceless as he visits Hurt for dinner, and falls in love with Rose (Amy Wright) for her old-fashioned persona.
Macon's dog is comic relief, but also the liaison with Geena Davis, an offbeat dog-trainer. She is quite good, and insinuates her way into Macon's ordered world. She is a single mother struggling, and Robert Hy Gorman is excellent as her young son, Alexander. Macon finds himself growing attached to Davis, her son, and her wayward life. He helps the son with schoolwork, and realizes he can still be open to new relationships. Even after all the tragedy.
Kathleen Turner attempts reconciliation,and offers Macon a stable ordered life of commonality. Davis offers instability, excitement and unpredictability. Which will he choose? This is not just a romantic drama, it is a serious character study about control, relationships, and difficult choices. It is one of the few films in which the difficulties of marriage are sensitively addressed, and the acting is superb.
Watch it for William Hurt's Masterful Performance!
namashi_122 September 2011
'The Accidental Tourist' is a Human-Drama, that is honest, unspoken & devastated. Accomplished Filmmaker Lawrence Kasdan delivers a film, that truly ranks amongst his best works to date, and his handling to this tough & gritty subject, is excellent. But, the Greatest Merit & Strength of 'The Accidental Tourist', is it's Lead-Star, Academy-Award Winner William Hurt, who's masterful performance, leaves you spell-bound. He delivers one of his finest performances in here.
'The Accidental Tourist' Synopsis: An emotionally distant writer of travel guides must carry on with his life after his son is killed and his marriage crumbles.
'The Accidental Tourist' is a heart-felt, human-drama, that is honest, unspoken & yet devastated. The Journey of it's Protaganiost is filled with sadness, motivation & emptiness. The Adapted Screenplay by Kasdan himself, is moving & well-worded. Kasdan's direction, on the other-hand, is excellent & he makes each moment felt.
Perofmance-Wise: As mentioned right from my summary, Hurt's performance is the greatest merit of this film. He delivers a performance, that can easily be credited as an embodiment. What Hurt achieves over-here, is "impossible" to pull off. In short, it's a performance that demands & deserves your utmost attention. Geena Davis, in an Oscar-Winning performance, is decent. Kathleen Turner is dependable. Amy Wright & Bill Pullman lend support.
On the whole, If your a fan of Hurt, don't dare to miss this one. And even if your not a fan by a chance, yet don't dare to miss his masterful performance.
'The Accidental Tourist' Synopsis: An emotionally distant writer of travel guides must carry on with his life after his son is killed and his marriage crumbles.
'The Accidental Tourist' is a heart-felt, human-drama, that is honest, unspoken & yet devastated. The Journey of it's Protaganiost is filled with sadness, motivation & emptiness. The Adapted Screenplay by Kasdan himself, is moving & well-worded. Kasdan's direction, on the other-hand, is excellent & he makes each moment felt.
Perofmance-Wise: As mentioned right from my summary, Hurt's performance is the greatest merit of this film. He delivers a performance, that can easily be credited as an embodiment. What Hurt achieves over-here, is "impossible" to pull off. In short, it's a performance that demands & deserves your utmost attention. Geena Davis, in an Oscar-Winning performance, is decent. Kathleen Turner is dependable. Amy Wright & Bill Pullman lend support.
On the whole, If your a fan of Hurt, don't dare to miss this one. And even if your not a fan by a chance, yet don't dare to miss his masterful performance.
Incredibly moving
safenoe16 September 2016
Warning: Spoilers
I read Anne Tyler's Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant but haven't read The Accidental Tourist. Still, this movie is a masterpiece, and William Hurt displays his top quality acting skills, especially the scene where he's called to identify his deceased son at the morgue. His facial expression says it all. That scene alone is worthy of three Oscars, and should be shown to all acting students. Why William Hurt didn't even get an Oscar nomination for this role is a mystery for the ages I guess (I say that with due respect to those nominated of course).
Another scene is where Macon attempts to explain to his siblings Rose, Porter and Charles, why he has kept the corgi. When we flashback to Macon's son having a wonderful time with corgi, nothing needs to be said, and Rose, Porter and Charles understand with much sympathy. It brings a tear to the eye.
I don't know if they makes movies like The Accidental Tourist anymore, as I guess Fast and the Furious and comic book heroes dominate the cinematic landscape (not that I'm being condescending of course). But this movie is timeless.
Another scene is where Macon attempts to explain to his siblings Rose, Porter and Charles, why he has kept the corgi. When we flashback to Macon's son having a wonderful time with corgi, nothing needs to be said, and Rose, Porter and Charles understand with much sympathy. It brings a tear to the eye.
I don't know if they makes movies like The Accidental Tourist anymore, as I guess Fast and the Furious and comic book heroes dominate the cinematic landscape (not that I'm being condescending of course). But this movie is timeless.
love the undercooked turkey
SnoopyStyle29 June 2015
Macon Leary (William Hurt) is a travel writer with a book called Accidental Tourist. It teaches businessmen to travel with the least inconvenience and not connecting. It's the same as his life especially after the death of his son. His wife Sarah (Kathleen Turner) can't take it and leaves him. He is pursued by Muriel Pritchett (Geena Davis) from the animal hospital. After injuring himself, he moves back in with his siblings Rose Leary (Amy Wright), Porter Leary (David Ogden Stiers) and Charles Leary (Ed Begley Jr).
It's quirky without big laughs. Geena Davis is absolutely winning which actually causes a problem for me. I can't imagine any red-blooded guy would resist her. There should be a line forming around the block of men throwing themselves at her. For some reason, I love the undercooked turkey scene. I find it funny and poignant that Julian insists on eating the turkey.
It's quirky without big laughs. Geena Davis is absolutely winning which actually causes a problem for me. I can't imagine any red-blooded guy would resist her. There should be a line forming around the block of men throwing themselves at her. For some reason, I love the undercooked turkey scene. I find it funny and poignant that Julian insists on eating the turkey.
All the quirkiness, none of the charm.
xavrush895 April 2005
This looked like the type of film I would enjoy, but I didn't. Frankly, it looks like it's trying too hard to exude quirky charm, and in no moment is this more evident than when we find Hurt's relatives alphabetizing their kitchen cupboards--a quirky cliché if there ever was one. (I distinctly remember this being touted on the video box as an example of how "funny" the film allegedly is.) Hurt's character comes off as a smug bore rather than a grieving parent who's shut down. I can understand why he chose to play Macon in such a manner, but it left me waiting for a part in the clouds that would never come. For a better take on this state of mind, see Juliette Binoche in Blue.
The fact that Geena Davis managed to breathe life into this at all is reason enough for her to have won the Academy Award, but Hurt's character doesn't deserve her. Her allergic-to-everything son is the only other interesting character in the film. I haven't read Anne Tyler's book, but it may have been a better idea to take these characters out of it and build a story for them alone.
For a much better tragicomic look at grief, may I suggest the wonderfully bittersweet 1990 film about grief, Men Don't Leave. In it, Jessica Lange and Arliss Howard exhibit more chemistry in their first meeting than Hurt and Davis do in this whole film.
The fact that Geena Davis managed to breathe life into this at all is reason enough for her to have won the Academy Award, but Hurt's character doesn't deserve her. Her allergic-to-everything son is the only other interesting character in the film. I haven't read Anne Tyler's book, but it may have been a better idea to take these characters out of it and build a story for them alone.
For a much better tragicomic look at grief, may I suggest the wonderfully bittersweet 1990 film about grief, Men Don't Leave. In it, Jessica Lange and Arliss Howard exhibit more chemistry in their first meeting than Hurt and Davis do in this whole film.
It slips through such serious emotional turf so quietly...
secondtake1 September 2010
Accidental Tourist (1988)
So, for starters, Geena Davis won a best supporting actress for this role. She is a surprising presence, but she is only a shadow, to me, of William Hurt's deceptively taut and perceptive role. Weakest of the three main actors is Kathleen Turner, who is brought far down from the energy she had, say, in "Peggy Sue Got Married" just two years earlier. This might be because Davis is lifted so high.
The story is by Anne Tyler, who won awards and praise for her novel, as literature, before the movie. The hook implied by the title is just the starting point. Even though "Accidental Tourist" deals with totally, very, beautifully serious things, there is a kind of gleam to it all, a knowing despondency, as if the writer knew what tricks to use to make us feel deep things. And it's sort of okay, even at the end, which is improbable the way it is played out, but is emotionally really satisfying.
I liked the movie a lot, for sure. It's about feelings and real people, without crime and violence, and I like all that. But maybe the Oscar might have gone to William Hurt, who pulls off a subtle role with absolutism. He nails the detached, patient, observant, fearful person that his character is. Geena Davis with all her idiosyncratic energy, and later with her more mainstream domesticity (the two are never resolved), is a perfect spark for his smolder.
And it pulls together, most of the time, but there are oddities that are meant to be quaint and fun that throw it off course. The agent is awkward, the Leary family is like a comic idea that just makes the depth of the principles odd for their seriousness. And the sudden attempt at reconciliation seems improbable, at least with the knee-jerk way it comes off. The music is oddly repetitive and annoying if you notice it, too.
One element, of course, that infects how you look at all this, is the role of the two children, the two sons. They make everything the adults do significant, even if still sometimes questionable. But hey, it's actually a soap opera, which I love, with emotions flying this way and that, and echoes of our own lives everywhere. So dive in and give it all a go. Even it feels slow at times, give it a moment. Hurt, who isn't always on target in other films, is really perfectly cast here, and he makes it work.
So, for starters, Geena Davis won a best supporting actress for this role. She is a surprising presence, but she is only a shadow, to me, of William Hurt's deceptively taut and perceptive role. Weakest of the three main actors is Kathleen Turner, who is brought far down from the energy she had, say, in "Peggy Sue Got Married" just two years earlier. This might be because Davis is lifted so high.
The story is by Anne Tyler, who won awards and praise for her novel, as literature, before the movie. The hook implied by the title is just the starting point. Even though "Accidental Tourist" deals with totally, very, beautifully serious things, there is a kind of gleam to it all, a knowing despondency, as if the writer knew what tricks to use to make us feel deep things. And it's sort of okay, even at the end, which is improbable the way it is played out, but is emotionally really satisfying.
I liked the movie a lot, for sure. It's about feelings and real people, without crime and violence, and I like all that. But maybe the Oscar might have gone to William Hurt, who pulls off a subtle role with absolutism. He nails the detached, patient, observant, fearful person that his character is. Geena Davis with all her idiosyncratic energy, and later with her more mainstream domesticity (the two are never resolved), is a perfect spark for his smolder.
And it pulls together, most of the time, but there are oddities that are meant to be quaint and fun that throw it off course. The agent is awkward, the Leary family is like a comic idea that just makes the depth of the principles odd for their seriousness. And the sudden attempt at reconciliation seems improbable, at least with the knee-jerk way it comes off. The music is oddly repetitive and annoying if you notice it, too.
One element, of course, that infects how you look at all this, is the role of the two children, the two sons. They make everything the adults do significant, even if still sometimes questionable. But hey, it's actually a soap opera, which I love, with emotions flying this way and that, and echoes of our own lives everywhere. So dive in and give it all a go. Even it feels slow at times, give it a moment. Hurt, who isn't always on target in other films, is really perfectly cast here, and he makes it work.
Kinda boring
Idocamstuf8 April 2003
I had very high hopes for this movie, it looked like one that I would really enjoy. It started out pretty good, the whole thing about his son dying, but the movie quickly begins to get silly and unfocused, I sort of thought the same about Kasdan's "The Big Chill". It may be William Hurt that is the route of this problem, every movie he has the lead role in is usually pretty dull, he always seems to play the same spiritless and droopy character. Geena Davis earned a well deserved oscar for her work here, and I guess she deserved it, because her performance was pretty good. I guess this just isnt my kind of movie. 4.6 out of 10.
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