Movies

There are no heroes or villains in "The Tailor of Panama," only exploiters and victims. Some may be turned off by the cynical tone of the film. For example, Andy Osnard, the British secret agent, played by Pierce Brosnan (who else?) is a scheming sociopath, not a patriotic hero. The title character, Harry Pendel, played by Geoffrey Rush, is a liar and an ex-convict. Don't be put off by these flawed characters, though. In the great tradition of John LeCarre's characters, these devious, selfish people are endlessly interesting -- and believable. I suspect that those who did not like this film reacted as they did because of a lack of heroes and because the outcome of the machinations it depicts are sadly grotesque. Nevertheless, this is the thinking person's spy movie. Highly recommended, 8 out of 10.

It's too bad about the low IMDB rating for this movie. It is a deft blend of James Bond, Casablanca and Dr Strangelove which directs its often vicious tongue-in-cheek barbs at both the intelligence industry and the spy films which glorify it. While it can be enjoyed "straight", that is as a story in its own right, I think those who miss its satirical structure (the film doesn't directly let the audience in on the joke - it must be inferred), miss half the fun.

This is extremely low-key, too much for most people but I still enjoyed it. In a nutshell, it's about a British spy sent to Panama to see who is going to control the Panama Canal. The public didn't care for this movie because it was so slow-moving. Pierce Brosnan, Geoffrey Rush, Jamie Lee Curtis, Brendan Gleeson and Catherine McCormick are all actors I find interesting so I enjoyed watching them and this film, in general.My only objection was the normal Liberal bias, here making George Bush, the British and the Americans look pushy and obnoxious in their dealings to control the locks.The story is a bit confusing in spots but interesting enough to stay with for the entire 109 minutes. There are a few sexy scenes thrown in to help keep your attention. I was surprised at the number of f-words in this movie.