kind of boring actually

Rating: 5/10 (28 June 2006)

I admit I was prejudiced from the start - the ads turned me off - I dislike Tom Cruise (how stupid do you have to be to be a Scientologist?) and what was up with that hair? I understand he's trying to mask his identity but that fake hair calls attention to him. Also, the plot of the just looked dumb. Unaware taxi driver participates in shootings?
Then a coworker convince me to give it a try. Knowing I like Noir films he said I would like it.
I like Noir films, I like films with character study /developemnt/exploration. I enjoy films that have some action but more dialogue. I should have liked this film!
I felt no connection to, no interest in, no empathy for any of the characters (not even the poor taxicab driver). I did not feel there was self-realization or any bonding going on between the two characters. Both actors were adequate -if unexciting. The scenery was nice (there were a few nice shots of LA at night), but not spectacular. The "action" sequences were just there in the service of the story. The plot was boring and generic. I barely cared enough to watch the thing all the way through just to find out what happens. (Out of the entire film, only that scene in the jazz club interested me- that was interesting, well filmed & had a nice twist.)
Maybe it's just the director's (Mann) style I don't get. I remember seeing Heat and being surprised that everyone was raving about it. It was interesting but not the end all be all or anything too original. (I can think of several Chinese films that have done that bad guy/good guy bond/find similarities much better- City On Fire to name one.)
I felt like this film was trying for something but failing. Was I supposed to find the last bit of Tom Cruise's dialouge philosophical interesting? Was the last shot supposed to be "ART"? It seemed trite and a bit pretentious.
P.S. for someone who's supposedly an acclaimed director why did he need to bow to the ever-encroaching product placement by including lingering shots of a Bacardi ad? I took away a whole star just for that!