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the tailor of panama " is a different kind of spy movie .
despite the presence of pierce brosnan , there is nary a hint of james bond flash here .
instead of big action scenes , leering super villains and empty - headed femme fatales , we get interesting characters and an intriguing situation .
based on the novel by john le carr ? , who also co - wrote the screenplay , the film offers viewers something rarely seen in theaters this time of year : a solid , well - told story .
brosnan plays andy osnard , a british operative walking on thin ice .
his british superiors ship him off to panama , making sure he understands that he had better not screw up the placement .
osnard arrives in the tropics virtually oozing contempt for his new co - workers and his new home base .
when shown the bridge of the americas by a person marveling over the fact that , since the creation of the panama canal , the structure is the sole connection between north and south america , he barely keeps from yawning .
brosnan clearly relishes the chance to be the antithesis of 007 , investing the suave spy with a distinct reptilian quality coupled with an air of indifference that irks his fellows to no end . searching for a way to get information on the government , osnard sets his sights on harry pendel ( geoffrey rush ) , an unctuous tailor serving the panamanian elite .
harry claims to be a transplant from britain 's renowned saville row , but osnard knows his secret : the tailor is an ex - con who served five years in prison after torching his uncle 's shop in an insurance scam .
he also knows that harry is up to his ears in debt , having spent a fortune on an unsuccessful farm .
osnard offers harry a way out .
he will pay for information harry has gathered from his upscale clientele .
eager to comply , harry offers what he knows , then starts concocting tidbits to keep the money flowing .
before long , he is forced to spy on his loving wife , louisa ( jamie lee curtis ) , an aide to the canal director .
harry 's little lies build , eventually taking on a life of their own .
osnard turns in reports about the " silent opposition , " a group threatening to upset the balance of control over the canal .
the bogus revelation proves explosive , leading to meetings in washington d .
c . over how to best protect the vital waterway .
meanwhile , osnard wallows in his newfound status , enjoying the best the city has to offer and wooing an attractive co - worker .
and harry grows ever more fretful , fearing the consequences
if his clients , not to mention his wife , learn about his lies .
geoffrey rush is wonderful as harry , fawning over his customers by day and savoring his rich family life in the evenings , all while playing secret agent in the off hours with his new benefactor .
rush makes harry a credible figure , presenting the various levels of the character so effectively that he remains sympathetic despite his duplicity .
after gaining fame playing larger than life characters , rush flips everything around for this role , using his energy to depict the quiet desperation of a man slowly realizing that the solution to his troubles may be worse than the original problems .
although she gets far too little screen time , jamie lee curtis imbues louisa
with a depth greater than the screenplay provides her . of the central characters , she is the only one that exhibits maturity and genuine self - confidence .
curtis is one of my favorite female actors ; whiplash smart , sultry and charismatic , she deserves more than supporting roles .
speaking of supporting characters , there are some great ones here .
harold pinter is amusing as harry 's uncle benny , who pops up throughout the story in a number of creative ways .
also shoring up the proceedings is jon polito as a corrupt banker and dylan baker , who is a riot
as a united states general straight out of the dr .
strangelove school of armed patriotism .
but the most important secondary performers are leonor varela and brendan gleeson , both outstanding as two wounded activists .
their presence adds weight to the story , reminding us that beyond the charades of the leading men , there are real people that have suffered greatly over the politics connected to the canal .
director john boorman adds additional verisimilitude by shooting the film on location .
instead of using panama city merely as a colorful backdrop , he adroitly weaves in footage of all aspects of life there .
the metropolis , described by one character as " casablanca without heroes " pulsates with life , underling the folly of the two foreigners playing dangerous games that could have a disastrous impact on a great many people .
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the tailor of panama " succeeds because the principals behind it were bright enough to make it more than a simple entertainment .
Output: P