dear angelina and johnny

So sorry it has taken me so long to write, but as a busy single mom I don't always get the opportunity to see movies first-run. I was finally able to catch your film, The Tourist, on-demand the other night and just wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed it. It was a fun, even silly at times thriller, much in the vein of the old Audrey Hepburn/Cary Grant movie Charade, or another Cary Grant film, Alfred Hitchcock's To Catch A Thief. I'm not sure why critics when it first came out were so hard on the film. Is it possible that they weren't able to catch the old movie references?

I was pleasantly surprised to discover that it was a top production, not just in the settings and costumes and beautiful cinematography by John Seale, but with supporting roles that were filled by some of my favorite actors — Rufus Sewell, Paul Bettany, Timothy Dalton. The city of Venice, one of the most magical places any tourist could ever visit, was just as lovely to look at as the movie's top stars, if you don't mind my saying so.

In another fun twist, for fans of Angelina's action movie persona, her character of Elise was intelligent and daring, but not her usual optimum physical specimen. In other words, Angelina does not kick major ass, but has to resort to cunning and Venetian canal putt-putt motorboats to effect the rescue of the seemingly out-of-his-league tourist played by Johnny. She still appears to have one up on the hero, but it's not because she is an action hero this time out.

There were many fun little details, such as Johnny's clueless tourist speaking Spanish to everyone in Italy. It was cringeworthy in a good way. The costumes worn by Angelina, mostly designed by Colleen Atwood, were extraordinary. It was nice to see her as a bit of a clothes horse in a movie for a change. Johnny looked dapper too, a bit like Bogie in Casablanca in one scene, when he walked in wearing a white dinner jacket.

No matter what the critical consensus would have you believe, the movie was financially far from a flop. Maybe it was a quickly-filmed romp, but what's wrong with that? Not all movies have to be megahits like Johnny's Pirates series or Angelina's Salt. The Tourist is a fun little film, and one you should both be proud to have on your resumes. Next time you have a break between blockbusters, you might consider filming together again. Topkapi seems ripe for a remake ...

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