Far less than it should've been

Rating: 5/10 (29 January 2020)

Working from an extremely gripping, strong novel, this movie missed the boat in too many ways. The screenplay, by Akiva Goldsman, is clunky, obvious and free of lyricism and flow. Tom Hanks, a reliably great actor, is so relentlessly glum as to remove some oxygen from the film, though he still has his moments (and is supposed to be a less than expansive character). His chemistry with Audrey Tautou, as Sophie, is practically nonexistent, though both hold their own, separately.
The production design, by Allan Cameron, was excellent, especially the scene near the end in the basement of a church, and the cinematography was strong. The music could've given the movie a much stronger identity than it did. It was just serviceable, no distinct themes.
That said, there are some treats and great scenes within this film. Ian McKellen is just right, and a welcome element of wit & charm in a film chock full of dour miscasting, as Leigh Teabing. Jean Reno is reliably strong as the cop chasing Robert & Sophie, Bezu Fache, and Jürgen Prochnow is effective as a somewhat mysterious banker.
Great story, wrong director, miscast stars, a nondescript score and far less than a maximization of the material. In some ways, this reminded me of a far different film in which Tom Hanks was badly miscast, The Bonfire of the Vanities.
Tom Hanks is a great treasure as an actor, with wonderful range, but he's not the guy for every role. This seemed to be a too constipated & overly repressed character for him to play.
Worth seeing for some of its elements but largely a disappointment.