From Paris With Love – Dir Pierre Morel, starring John Travolta, Jonathon Rhys Meyers
Those who remember Travolta from the big-haired baby-faced hipster days of Saturday Night Fever and Grease may do a double-take at the sight of him in his latest role. Big-faced and with little hair – except for a rather disturbing goatee – his appearance is rather unsettling. That just about sums up his performance, too.
James Reese (Meyers) has an enviable life in Paris – a comfortable job as personal aide to the US Ambassador plus beautiful girlfriend. But James craves excitement, and hopes that his sideline as a low-level operative for the CIA will lead to a full-time job as a bona fide agent. On his first senior assignment he is partnered with a pistol-wielding loose cannon called Charlie Wax (Travolta); as he’s lead on a dangerous tour through underground Paris, James realises the desk job might not be such a bad career choice after all ...
There’s a certain entertainment value in this film, but it’s doused by over-acting and too many far-fetched, confusing twists and turns in the telling. Travolta’s dismal performance and a badly directed script will give anyone a fever – day or night.
