zzzzzzzzz this thing DRAGS.

Rating: Null/10 (26 June 2004)

Okay, the first 45 minutes are fine, showing Hanks adapting to life in the JFK terminal, where his world and existence is established--hey he figured out the quarters!--his cronies in the airport service depts, etc, all well and good. We always know what we will get w/ Hanks, a committed, believable performance, here he does the Gump/Little Tramp/Benny Hill act to a 'T'. Not a problem there.
Some spoilers below am sure!!
It's only later on that you get to watching your watch...tick...okay he's back to the INS chick w/ the Cerano routine for the 44th time....now he's eating more ketchup and crackers....now he's a carpenter at 19 an hour in the terminal....now he's gotten a hottie stewardess -Zeta Jones-to fall for him....now here's Stanley Tucci being Snidely Whiplash again....etc etc.
The contrivances just Don't work. I didn't buy for a minute that this guy would be stuck there for 9 months, I didn't buy for a minute that Zeta Jones would want anything to do w/ him, I didn't buy for a minute that he couldn't get a lawyer or help or escape or whatever. I am sorry but it's true. You have to establish the fantasy world and make it believable on its own terms and here Speilberg just DOESN'T do that.
I was not thrilled by the whole autograph seeker reason for his being here either, nor for his failing to get the gal at the end. C'mon Steve ya gotta be better than this.
This was an autopilot flick, harmless and well acted but so unrealistic as to stretch even my rather open mind. And that is bad.
**1/2 for Hanks and the little Indian guys' twirling plates routine.