LeonLouisRicci Successful in some Respects, Not so much in others, this Dark Satire on the Genre has Pierce Brosnan Showcasing a James Bond like British Spy who has Lost His Grace. The Name isn't "Bond", it's Osnard.Nothing about this MI6 Reject is Suave, Cool, or Charming in Any Way. He Bullies His way around Panama like a Rabid Dog that has No More Instincts. The Movie has Varying Tones of Violence and Sex, most are Lurid and Repulsive.The Script was Written by Acclaimed Spy Novelist John Le Carre from His Book. The Director is the Inconsistent John Boorman. The Film is Interesting and can Intrigue and Amuse if You let it, but some May Find it "in your face" and Anything but Subtle. It Works and then, it Doesn't. So the Overall Effectis Wanting but those Looking for something a bit Different in the Spy Genre will most Likely Enjoy its Edge and Forgive some Clumsiness. Worth a Watch to See Brosnan Riff On His James Bond Persona and there are Enough "out there" Scenes to Capture the Anti-Hollywood Cultists. But Mainstream Moviegoers and those Looking for more of the Same will Probably Not Appreciate the Messy Message in this Very Darkly Humored Display.

Matthew Kresal On the surface, The Tailor Of Panama is a bit of a contradiction. It's based on a novel by John le Carre, famed for his gritty and realistic spy thrillers, yet stars the man famous for playing the exact opposite of le Carre's thrillers: James Bond. But those contradictions are just on the surface, with the film itself resulting in a few surprises,Perhaps the biggest surprise of the film is Pierce Brosnan. Given that he's playing a British spy, and that the film came out in the midst of his tenure as James Bond, one might assume that he would be playing a slightly different take on 007. Nothing could be much farther than the truth. Andy Osnard is a character who is almost unlikeable: arrogant, cursing, sexist and ultimately a man with no loyalty except to himself. Yet, despite being unlikeable, Osnard (and Brosnan) is the one you can't take your eyes off of in whatever scene he's in. He's the corrupt heart and soul of the film and the film is, ultimately, better for it.The rest of the cast does well for the most part. Geoffrey Rush as the titular tailor of the title, Harry Pendel, gives a fine performance as the good with a checkered past who, drawn into Osnard's sphere of influence, begins setting a series of events in motion that threatens to unravel everything around him. There are also good performances from Catherine McCormack and David Hayman as well as Leonor Varela and Brendan Gleeson as two old revolutionaries drawn into the events around them and worse off for it. There are also some nice pseudo-cameos as well from Dylan Baker, Jonathan Hyde and noted playwright Harold Pinter as the proverbial spirit of the late Uncle Benny who acts as the conscience of his nephew Harry. The weak link of the cast is Jamie Lee Curtis who, for reasons that are unclear, has little to do in the film.If Osnard is the film's physical heart and soul, then its metaphysical one is the script based on the novel of the same name by John le Carre. By le Carre's own admission, The Tailor Of Panama is a take on Graham Greene's Our Man In Havana, updated from 1950s Cuba to late 1990s (early 2000s for the film) Panama. At the film's heart is a tale of how one man (Osnard) and his corrupting influence of those around him, told through the prism of a spy story. Intriguingly, the film in retrospect almost seems like an odd premonition of events leading up to the invasion of Iraq set in another part of the world: British intelligence that is ultimately dubious, as is its source, is used to justify a US invasion.Yet the film suffers from a glaring flaw. The film's tone is all over the place as director John Boorman has the film bouncing around between serious spy thriller, black comedy and domestic drama. The three in this case don't sit well next to one another which can lead to undermining of otherwise key moments (such as when Harry yells at those in his shop as the film begins to head towards its conclusion). The result is a film that is uneven to the point of fault.Despite the tonal issue, the film has plenty going for it. From Brosnan's performance to the strong script from the le Carre novel, The Tailor Of Panama is still an intriguing film. While neither the best spy thriller nor the best le Carre adaptation, for those who enjoy either, the film is certainly worth a viewing.

MBunge This is a pleasant if somewhat uneven film that takes the starch out of the spy thriller genre and features two fun performances by Pierce Brosnan and Geoffrey Rush.Andy Osnard (Pierce Brosnan) is a disgraced British spy who's shipped out to Panama to keep an eye on the canal. Andy, a burned out, licentious scoundrel, enlists Harry Pendel (Geoffrey Rush) as an informer. Harry used to be the personal tailor of Manuel Noreiga and now makes suits for the rich and powerful men of Panama City. Harry is deeply in debt, lying about his past and married to Louisa (Jaime Lee Curtis), a woman who works for the Panama Canal Authority. Harry knows some things, bits of gossip and unthinking mentions that a man's tailor hears on occasion, but none of it is the sort of information that Andy demands to impress his bosses at MI 6. So, Harry starts making stuff up about the president of Panama looking to sell the canal and how two of Harry's friends are secret anti-government rebels. At first Harry just wants to get Andy off his back, but then he starts to turn the lies to his advantage. Unfortunately, Andy is trying to do the same thing, when he's not seducing a woman at the British embassy. It all leads to tragedy and a potential international incident where Louisa needs to save her husband and the whole country of Panama.Adapted from the novel by John le Carre, The Tailor of Panama is smartly written, effectively directed and well acted. The acting is the standout element of the film, with Rush and Brosnan delivering award worthy work. Brosnan is clearly having a good time playing a seedy, low-rent version of James Bond that's as close as the real world ever gets to such a guy. Rush deftly threads the needle of a character who is both manipulated and manipulator. Jamie Lee Curtis' Louisa is a bit of a third wheel in the story, but Curtis gives her enough substance to stand up to Brosnan's and Rush's performances. The only questionable effort from the entire cast is Brendon Gleeson's plainly variable accent. He's a British actor playing a Panamanian character and he clearly sounds like a Brit playing a Panamanian.The only complaint I could make about this movie is that it has a large number of parts and they're not knitted together that smoothly. The story isn't just about Harry and Andy. It's about Harry and Louisa, Andy and the woman from the British Embassy, Harry and his Panamanian friends, a commentary on post-Noreiga Panama, a look at realistic intelligence gathering, geopolitical farce and even outright whimsy as Harry's old uncle appears to him throughout the movie like the Ghost of Christmas Past. The film never quite creates a tone to encompass all of that, so it's always establishing a certain mood and then jerking you out of it to go in a different direction. It's a minor quibble, though, for a pretty good movie.The Tailor of Panama also gives us a brief glimpse of Jamie Lee Curtis' bare bosom, proving that she hasn't lost much since the days of Trading Places. There's a lot to enjoy in the film besides that, but it's a nice bonus to a relaxed and slightly sardonic take on international espionage. I don't think you'll be disappointed if you give this movie a try.

Kiers (Kiers77) I just saw this again after SO many years.Man it's entertaining! Rogue spy goes in search of adventure and CREATES it...whilst enriching himself. Analogy: What Jerome Kerviel did to his bank, a rogue spy does to geopolitics. Gives new meaning to term "mucking around" in your "backyard" if you are a prominent superpower (u know which one!).The character motivation and plausible scene-play are just top notch. It all starts with Brosnan's character throwing money at a new "recruit" and then using carrot stick routine to get something useful (information). Well, as in waterboarding, if you pressure someone to "come up with info" THEY WILL! How many careers have been made at MI 5/6 this way? How many countries have been "played with"? I can't think of any other movie which dealt with such heavy subjects so delightfully. everyone can be made to harbor secret feelings of being a spy. how seductive. how profitable. I must read the book because I'm sure it is richer than the movie.