The Tourist (2010 film)

The Tourist

Company type	Film
Industry	Motion picture
Founded	2010
Founder	Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck (director)
Products	Romantic thriller film
Parent	GK Films, Sony Pictures (Columbia Pictures)

The Tourist is a 2010 American romantic thriller film co-written and directed by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, featuring performances by Angelina Jolie, Johnny Depp, Paul Bettany, and Timothy Dalton. This film is a remake of the 2005 French movie Anthony Zimmer. Produced and financed by GK Films, it was distributed worldwide by Sony Pictures through Columbia Pictures. The production budget was $100 million, and it achieved a global box office revenue of $278 million.

Although the film received largely unfavorable reviews from critics, it still garnered three Golden Globe nominations. Director Henckel von Donnersmarck characterized the movie as "a travel romance with thriller elements," avoiding strict adherence to any single genre, though he suggested it leans more toward comedy if one must be assigned.

Plot

Elise Clifton-Ward, a British woman, is trailed across Paris by French police collaborating with Scotland Yard under Inspector John Acheson, who has been pursuing Elise’s lover, Alexander Pearce, for some time. Pearce is wanted for £744 million in unpaid taxes and is believed to have undergone plastic surgery to change his appearance. Additionally, he is hunted by mobster Reginald Shaw, from whom he allegedly stole $2.3 billion.

Following Pearce’s instructions, Elise boards a train to Venice, Italy, where she selects a man to serve as Pearce’s decoy to mislead the police. She picks Frank Tupelo, a mathematics teacher at a community college in Wisconsin. Inspector Acheson recovers part of their plan from a partially burned note. Meanwhile, Shaw, tipped off by a corrupt officer, heads to Venice.

Once in Venice, Elise invites Frank to stay at the Hotel Danieli and instructs him to attend an upcoming ball. She then leaves Frank alone; he is pursued by Shaw’s henchmen and detained by Italian authorities. A corrupt inspector attempts to hand Frank over for a reward, but Elise intervenes, leading Shaw’s men on a boat chase before escaping herself. For his protection, she sends Frank back home.

Elise meets with Acheson in Venice, who is revealed to be an undercover Scotland Yard agent suspended due to suspected sympathies toward Pearce. She agrees to assist in capturing Pearce. At the ball, Elise receives an envelope but is distracted when Frank declares his love and asks her to dance. Frank is then taken into protective custody by police; Elise reads the note and departs by boat while being pursued by both Shaw’s men and law enforcement.

At Pearce’s safe house, Shaw takes Elise hostage to coerce her into revealing the location of the stolen money. Police surround the property; however, Acheson refuses to authorize sniper intervention. Frank escapes captivity and confronts Shaw, claiming to be Pearce himself and offering to open the safe if Elise is released. Chief Inspector Jones overrules Acheson’s decision, commands snipers to eliminate Shaw and his men, reinstates Elise after lifting her suspension, and dismisses Acheson.

Acheson discovers that Pearce has been located nearby but learns that the detained individual insists he is merely a tourist following instructions. Elise admits her feelings for both Frank and Pearce. When Frank opens the safe using the correct code, it becomes clear he is actually Alexander Pearce. Police breach the safe only to find a £744 million check inside. With taxes settled by this payment, Jones closes the case despite Acheson’s objections. Ultimately, Pearce and Elise depart together by boat.

Production

The film underwent several changes in both direction and casting throughout its development. Initially, Lasse Hallström was attached as director with Charlize Theron cast in the lead role. Following Hallström's departure due to scheduling issues, Bharat Nalluri assumed the director’s position, and Tom Cruise was announced as the male lead before being replaced by Sam Worthington. When Angelina Jolie joined the cast, director Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck was also brought on board; however, both he and Worthington exited the project due to creative disagreements. After exploring other options, including considering Alfonso Cuarón, Henckel von Donnersmarck returned to direct, completed a script rewrite within two weeks, and finished shooting in 58 days with Johnny Depp as the lead.

Principal photography commenced in Paris on February 23, 2010, before relocating to Venice, where Depp joined the production on March 1. During filming at Place Colette, French Minister of Culture Frédéric Mitterrand made a visit to the set.

The stunt coordinator, Simon Crane, choreographed the boat chase sequence while adhering to Venice’s strict speed regulations imposed by local authorities to safeguard historic landmarks. The slow-paced pursuit was explained within the narrative by one boat towing another.

From Henckel von Donnersmarck’s return until the film’s premiere in New York, production spanned just over eleven months. This expedited timeline was largely influenced by Depp’s ongoing commitments to the Pirates of the Caribbean series and the necessity to secure favorable release windows prior to Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.

Critical reception

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 20% based on 172 reviews, with an average score of 4.4 out of 10. The critical consensus reads: "While visually striking and featuring notable stars, The Tourist suffers from a sluggish and confusing storyline alongside a lack of chemistry between Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie." On Metacritic, it earned a weighted average score of 37 out of 100 from 37 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews." Audience polling by CinemaScore resulted in a "B" grade.

Roger Ebert awarded the movie 2 stars out of 4, remarking that director Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck struggled to find an effective tone for the film. Peter Travers of Rolling Stone gave it zero stars and included it among his top ten worst films of 2010.

In contrast, German media outlets offered favorable critiques, and Rotten Tomatoes Top Critic Stephanie Zacharek selected it as one of her "10 Best Movies of 2010," commending its visual artistry, meticulous craftsmanship, and subtle humor.

Casey Burchby from DVD Talk praised the cinematography by Oscar-winner John Seale as "beautifully executed," but pointed out shortcomings in character development.

Cultural reception

At the 2011 Golden Globe Awards, presenter Ricky Gervais humorously mocked the film during his segment. In a scripted scene from Life's Too Short, co-created by Gervais and Stephen Merchant, Johnny Depp highlighted The Tourist’s commercial success with a $278 million gross, contrasting it with Gervais’s two Hollywood projects which earned $27 million and $32 million respectively.

Awards

The motion picture earned three nominations at the 68th Golden Globe Awards: Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, Best Actor (Depp), and Best Actress (Jolie). The film's inclusion in the comedy category sparked considerable debate, as it was primarily marketed as a romantic thriller. Although initially entered as a drama, director Henckel von Donnersmarck persuaded the HFPA to reclassify it under comedy. According to HFPA President Phil Berk, the film's "absurdly entertaining" nature warranted this classification.

Awards
Ceremony	Award	Category	Recipient	Result
68th Golden Globe Awards	Golden Globe Award	Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy		Template:Nom
		Best Actor – Musical or Comedy	Johnny Depp	Template:Nom
		Best Actress – Musical or Comedy	Angelina Jolie	Template:Nom
2011 Teen Choice Awards	Teen Choice Awards	Choice Movie – Action		Template:Nom
		Choice Movie Actor: Action	Johnny Depp	Template:Won
		Choice Movie Actress: Action	Angelina Jolie	Template:Won
2011 ASCAP Awards	Template:Center	Top Box Office Films	James Newton Howard	Template:Won

Soundtrack

The musical score for The Tourist, crafted by James Newton Howard, was made available on December 21, 2010, through the Varèse Sarabande label. This album contains 24 pieces, featuring original compositions by Howard alongside selections from artists including Gabriel Yared, Muse, and Katie Melua. Highlighted tracks such as "Tracking Elise," "Rooftop Run," and "The Infinite Price" illustrate the film’s moody soundtrack designed to complement its thriller elements. The soundtrack plays a key role in reinforcing the film’s emotional depth and narrative tone, aligning with its promotional efforts.