We watch movies for numerous reasons; some people just want a good hard laugh to prevent themselves from doing irrational stuff after a rough day at work, getting yelled at by the boss for the millionth time. Some want films to take them to places that can’t exist in here now, where we call real life. Some want a Delorean time machine. Others see themselves as Luke Skywalkler, as James Bond, as a misunderstood mad scientist. Some just want a perfect portrayal of reality, such as The Accidental Tourist. Macon Leary (William Hurt), a travel guides writer that happens to hate traveling, troubled by his son’s death, now has to deal with a divorce with his wife Sarah (Kathleen Turner) whom he’s lived with for nearly twenty-years. On the other hand, Muriel Pritchett (Geena Davis), a dog trainer, as cliché as it sounds, makes Macon re-think about his marriage.
It does sound like your typical middle-class love story, but the movie seems to get everything engaging for even the most impatient audience with its mesmerizingly beautiful cinematography. That, you just can’t help but feel like you should lie down on your favorite chair next to the fire sipping a mug of coffee that was made the way grandma used to, and once in a while staring out the window to see rain drops and listening to a favorite Woody Allen soundtrack while watching The Accidental Tourist under your childhood blanket. Some parts drag on a little bit, but can be redeemed by John Williams’ incredible OST that was, ironically, totally in a different way compared to his work in sci-fi films from Star Wars, Indian Jones or Jaws. The dialogues in The Accidental Tourist are also worth-noting; as closest to Anne Tyler’s original words, the film contains almost no curse words like we usually take for granted that almost seems too unusual considering how realistic everything else in the film and this, I think, is the best aspect of it. William Hurt’s acting is subtly superb in capturing a man dealing with his confusion. In fact, everyone in this movie is great and believable.
To conclude this, as you could have guessed it yourself, I’ll say that The Accidental Tourist is a film that is worth watching. But I won’t do that. I will recommend that you should read the book before you watch the movie, as they’re completely different takes on the same concept.
Overall score: 4.5/5
mê tú linh. 