Slowish, decent movie but not a classic....

Rating: 7/10 (12 January 2005)

......am always happy to see that Bill Murray is back to being in the headlines for his movies and etc--what, the last time before this was 'Groundhogs Day' in '93? That's a while back. Here he plays Serious Bill, essentially the same thing he tried in '84 w/ Razor's Edge and Theresa Russell. That time it didn't come off too well, some were saying he was too young to be having a midlife crisis.
Well, at 52 or so, he sure is at that stage, and here brings it off quite well. I also enjoyed watching Scarlet, she seemed to be so lost in the big Foreign City, and feeling trapped. I bought that-her performance was pretty good though I kept on thinking 'Kirsten Dunst' whenever she squinted to the left as she does.
Fun Cameron Diaz sendup by the 'Scary Movie' chick here--nails the typical airheaded starlet quite well. Good scenery though it's true the 'Stranger in a Strange Land' bit has been quite done to death by now.
I had a feeling at times--the party, the nightclubs, etc--that I was watching a pseudo-late 60's flick, it was slow, too long, chaotic and semi-random in places. I wanted to see them DO something besides shuffle around Tokyo and tearfully part too, her wearing his coat, etc. But that's me, I guess.
Anyways that's my take on this. It's decent but hardly the classic Oscar bait flick we kept on hearing about a year ago.
*** outta ****