The Terminal (2004)

Rating: 3/10 (24 December 2004)

This film just screamed "Oscar! PLEASE, I WANT AN Oscar!" for Tom Hanks. It's films like this that make me think he's giving Robin Williams a run for his money as the highest priced whore in Hollywood, with Nicole Kidman and Jude Law running a close third and fourth, respectively. Meaning, each of them seem to be in any film. Good, bad, or indifferent, each of them is turning into the cinema's version of the Bible in American hotels...they're in every drawer.
Give him an accent and a few closeups with teary eyes and swelling violins and we're supposed to be moved. Oh, I was moved, all right. Boredom has the tendency to make one fidgity.
This film moves slower than the Macy's checkout line at Christmas. It only took about five minutes to realize this was an award vehicle for Hanks, and what seemed like six hours to endure it. Think Robin Williams' turn in "Jakob the Liar." Catherine Zeta-Jones gives a forgettable and insignificant supporting role as the ditzy Napolean loving flight attendant that we are supposed to believe would be happy with a Sbarro's pizza rather than a candlelit dinner. Stanley Tucci plays the "mean old airport man" with one loud note throughout. Of course, the rest of the cast represents airport staff that we are also supposed to believe care enough to a) notice Hanks's character and b) become endeared towards him--to the point that his actual "departure" from the airport would shut down operations to go see it. Anyone who's ever had a long lay over at JFK knows what a laughable premise this is.
A huge disappointment to Spielberg fans. Hopefully, he's gotten these mushy feel good flicks out of his system.