I don't walk out of movies...this was an exception.

Rating: Null/10 (14 July 2004)

OK, when you first hear about the concept of this film, you might think that it's an ideal notion about the still on-going bureaucracy in America and you're right, it IS a novel concept. However, right off the bat I wasn't totally buying it. In the beginning the Stanley Tucci set-up of the plot just seemed a little too forced. I felt like after he explained to Hank's character WHY he had to stay in the airport due to his falling into a "customs limbo", Tucci could very well have just turned to the audience and remarked, "and that's the premise, folks....see?!?!" And that's another thing....does it take so very long to get an interpreter for this poor guy, i mean it IS an international airport is it not? And in this post 9/11 world of tight airport security, why does he get to roam freely around the complex and set up "camp" without Federal Marshals even batting an eye? Tucci IS a homeland security official, right? (or at least that's what the sign says on his office). Not only does he allow this but his officers stand around watching him on monitors while possibly Richard Reid types could be pushing around a shopping cart of dozens of explosive Payless shoes....not to say that Payless is responsible for shoe bombing, it's just that that company is one of a myriad of product mentionings or placements, ranging from Burger King to Borders to whatever. Of course it's an airport, a convenient setting for rampant product placement anyway. But seeing that I have to now watch a slew of commercials before the previews and it costs me 9 bucks for the privilege, enough is enough.
OK, back to the film itself: Catherine Zeta Jones was out of place at best. The 30-second crying jag wasn't totally believable. You find yourself watching Hanks being resourceful and adorable until you can't stand it anymore. Hank's airport limbo seems to rely for the most part on the unrealistic ability of Tucci's character to be so faithful to the rules in some areas and disregarding in others.
Of course, I can't really go on about the plot, seeing that i did indeed walk out of this film, something that i never do, dear readers. Maybe everything WAS tied up nicely in the end and my heartstrings could have been tugged so much that I would need surgery and that Forest, Capt John Miller and Andrew Beckett would kneel in homage to this new character, but i doubt it. Wait for it on HBO.