Some drama, intrigue, crime, music and romance

Rating: 6/10 (14 February 2019)

"The Bodyguard" has some drama, a little intrigue, crime, music and romance. That's about the best that can be said for this film. It has just enough of each to hold one's interest to the end. And, the ending makes watching this film worthwhile. It's the best part of the movie.
Everyone knows, or should know, the plot. A former CIA agent is hired to protect a hot female singer. And, he falls for her and she for him. Whitney Houston is good as Rachel Marron, the big name singer. Kevin Costner is mostly wooden as Frank Farmer. I get it, as I think most movie buffs do, that a real bodyguard doing a serious job is not going to be a friendly, funny Joe with the people around him. Mike Starr's Tony, as such a glad-hand character, exaggerates that notion with his distractions for lunch, watching and enjoying the show, etc.
But Costner's Farmer goes to the extreme in the opposite direction. He's almost sullen in his constant alertness. He's overly calm and slow to the point that he doesn't shoe much life or intelligence behind his apparent thinking and critical watching. The plot dances around, as do the scenes, with sharp breaks, so it doesn't have a feel of fluid continuity.
One very good scene in this movie makes it worth watching. It takes place at night in the kitchen of Rachel Marron's mansion. Frank Farmer is sitting alone at a counter drinking his orange juice. He has just gotten Rachel home safely after a near riot broke out with her fans at an event. When they sped away, they left Tony behind.
Now Tony kicks the door in. He's mad and goes after Frank - four times. Each time, Frank uses his martial arts and fisticuffs and lays big Tony out. Tony's face is bloody and he's about to try a fifth time with a big butcher knife. Frank picks up another knife and hurls it so that it sinks into the woodwork beside Tony's head. Tony backs down. Not a word has been spoken to this time. Frank turns to leave and says, "I don't wanna talk about this again.