Tempo

During the short and entertaining ride that is "Tempo", there's not one scene where you can't help but thinking: "This looks like a movie made for TV". Apparently, that's not the reality…In its cast it has consecrated stars and other young and very talented actors that wouldn't be uncomfortable at all with a "star" position.

Three main characters call all of the shots, when two women get too involved with a charming man and end up in a love triangle situation that includes a robbery, a police chase, guns and more elements than at least these characters expected to deal with. What the movie tries to say is that sometimes we don't measure our actions and we cross a line…Yes, that line.

A film like "Tempo", with its typical storyline, must at least get you involved with the feelings of the main characters; and it doesn't fail in that department. The writing team includes L.M. Kit Carson (who once adapted the brilliant "Paris, Texas") joined by Jeremy Lipp and Jennifer Salt; writers of some clever and engaging TV series.

So the director Eric Styles seems to be the only one a little far from television between the crew (John McCarthy is basically a series composer) and although probably everyone said it already, he brings a lot of style to the table with his intensively focused cameras during some crucial shots and his fast motion management when the film finds its adrenaline moments. Helped a lot by cinematographer Robert Fraisse, Styles achieves the quality of the image that's as good as the film can offer.

A few things fail in the plot and with the general idea, which is why the movie doesn't become good; but the emotion you get from the first scene doesn't vanish at all, and you want the best for this flawed human beings. Rachael Leigh Cook, between the best actresses of her generation and more beautiful each day, gives a desperate tone to her character that makes us believe love can actually happen fast, when you're alone in some place and you need it.

However, her character is flawed because she is not able to think things twice. Hugh Dancy plays the young attractive man supported by an older woman that cares for him. Even when his character cares for the woman too, he allows himself to slip, considering he will resolve it in the end; but he's not able to do it, because he's flawed. Dancy portrays all of these shades solidly; yet he completely fails in achieving the American accent.

The older woman I mentioned before is the character played by Melanie Griffith. Griffith has always had to 'find' the role: "Milk Money", "Now And Then", "Forever Lulu" are some of the films in which the role fits perfectly for her; without mattering if the picture is good or not. "She always speaks the same way", I told my brother; and he said that people can't chance their way of speaking…In "Tempo", the role fits for her and eventually fits for us; luckily.

Since Rachael Leigh Cook is one of my favorite actresses, I couldn't resist to see her latest work. I know since Josie and The Pussycats that she mostly did direct-to-video movies and indies, and that was the opportunity to see her again in a European setting...

This time, it's Paris. I was not very thrilled to see a déjà-vu subject of the love triangle, set on illegal antiques'smuggling business background, but with Rachael there, I might be in for a small treat...

The result here is partly entertaining. Eric Styles uses the flashback to tell the story as it begins in a car chase in central Paris. Mostly a story about betrayal, survival and mostly choosing between love and reason.

An antiques smuggler works for a rich mob dealer. She is sent for a contract in Germany in order to get paid and then refund a debt to another mob member. In the meanwhile, her boyfriend falls in love with a jewellers'boutique employee, Jenny. Unfortunately, when the lady smuggler comes back, she catches her lover in the act. However, her smuggling didn't do well and she must comes up with the money to reimburse the mob guy in order to save her life. For revenge, she intends to use her boyfriend's mistress naive nature for a night heist at the jewellery shop to refund her debt. Will it succeed ?

Performances are okay: Rachael Leigh Cook (with an audacious caracter going beyond the simple kiss...), Hugh Dancy and Malcolm McDowell are doing good here but Mrs. Griffith lacks the charm she had many years ago with movies like Body Double and Working Girl. Too sad for such an actress who stills have some sexy assets at her 40s...

The story's okay, and it's good fare compared to recent releases who are with big budget but with low quality.

Watch it for fun, and gaze the streets of Paris with Ms.Cook !

In France, Sarah (Melanie Griffith) is a courier of illegal pieces of arts and antiques, living in a borrowed apartment with Jack (Hugh Dancy), a man younger and younger than she. While Sarah is traveling to Munich to bring a rare coin to the criminal Walter Shrenger (Malcolm McDowell), Jack meets Jenny Travile (Rachel Leigh Cook), a silly and irresponsible American girl, who works a fancy jewelery, and they have an affair. Jenny falls in love for him, and exposes the code and the secrets of the store to Jack. Meanwhile, Sarah is stolen in the train in her travel back to Paris, and has to raise US$ 80,000.00 in two days to pay for the lost. She convinces Jack to rob the jewelery with her to raise the money. However, things do not happen how planned.

The premise of "Tempo"is not bad, and it could be a good thriller. However, there are many flaws in the screenplay. The character of Sarah is not well developed, and the viewer does not know why she has this type of life, their motives for such a dangerous work, and it is impossible to sympathize with her. Further, the face of Mellanie Griffith is completely destroyed after plastic surgeries, and affects her expressions. There is one site (awfulplasticsurgery.com) relative to awful plastic surgeries in famous people, and unfortunately the surgeries of Mellanie Griffith are mentioned there, showing her lovely and gorgeous face before the plastic surgery, and how she is now. I do not understand how a woman so beautiful like she was can be so deformed! With regard to Jenny, how such a stupid woman can work in a fancy place, being responsible for expensive jewels? How the store does not have cameras for surveillance? How can a woman work in such fancy jewelery wearing jeans, instead of elegant costumes? Rachel Leigh Cook is also horrible in this movie, with long curled hair and ugly clothes. The costume designers were very negligent with the character of Jenny. Last but not the least, the sexual attraction of two women for Jack is a key point in this story. However, the sex scenes are not erotic, and could be better and better. My vote is five.

Title (Brazil): "Tempo – Um Questão de Sobrevivência" ("Time – A Question of Surviving")

The plot of "Tempo" sounded really promising, but the end result is quite frankly horrible. The acting on the part of Hugh Dancy is acceptable, as for Cook it is not up to the standard of her other performances. In all their character's relationship seems utterly unbelievable. Watching Melanie Griffith in Tempo though was a sad experience I could have done without. I remember her from films such as "Working Girl" were she was witty, funny and sexy. In "Tempo" she acts like she is wearing a mask. Her facial expressions are almost non-existent. Another fact that annoyed me with "Tempo" was the obvious lack of detail when it came to locations. The story is supposed to take place in Paris, why is it then that throughout the film, street signs are in German?? Even Munich does not look like Munich.

I used to love Melanie Griffith. She was so sexy and lovable in "Fear City", "Body Double", and "Something Wild", yes even in the rotten "Cherry 2000" I still loved her. In Tempo I lost my love, to the knife! Tempo shows the waste of money that is plastic surgery all over Melanie's face. A horrible waste of money and the ruin of a beautiful talent. Disgusting!

So is this movie. All that eurotrash money can buy is a deeply flawed script with mediocre performances by many involved. Rachel Lee Cook is as good as she could be given the circumstance of her character. She plays an American student on sabbatical in Paris who, although she does not speak French, is hired by and then immediately given the keys and codes to a jewelry store to satisfy the plot! When the store is robbed the Parisian police open fire on the thieves during a car chase inside the city. Besides the fact that they have not established the car contains thieves or criminals I doubt any modern Western police force would use guns in the situation exposed. The rest on the script is filled with many other unbelievable occurrences, all while expecting the viewer to take it seriously! Looks big budget but never opened theatrically in the US. The DVD release was announced for Summer 2003 but has now been delayed indefinitely, lucky for you! I wonder if Ms. Griffith's surgeons are bidding to keep it off the market? It certainly does not show their work in the best light.

As an alternative I would suggest a fun and light film that knows what it is- all fun! "The Guru" is now on DVD in case you missed it in the theaters!