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"An 'Affair'
to Remember"
by Scott Mantz
"The Thomas Crown Affair"
Pierce Brosnan, Rene Russo
Directed by John McTiernan
People do some
pretty unusual things with their spare time. Whether its out of
passion or just to add spice to an otherwise boring life, hobbies
are important to a lot of people. However, when you're rich and
can have anything you want, your choice of hobbies can become more
adventurous or even life-threatening. This is the case with Thomas
Crown in the smart and sexy action thriller "The Thomas Crown Affair",
a remake of the 1968 Steve McQueen-Faye Dunaway starrer of the same
name. Brosnan, Pierce Brosnan (get it?), makes stealing precious
artwork look about as easy as shoplifting from a convenience store.
Thomas Crown
(Pierce Brosnan) is a disgustingly-rich Wall Street financier who
gets absolutely no pleasure out of his profession. He takes to stealing
artwork from high security museums to get his ya-ya's out. This
time he confiscates a precious Monet worth $100 million. Hot on
his tail is Catherine Banning (Rene Russo), a sultry insurance company
investigator who is positive Crown is the thief. Working with an
uptight New York City Detective (Dennis Leary), Banning breaks all
the rules (and a lot of laws) to prove Crown's guilt. However Banning
becomes so enthralled with the charming and debonair Crown that
she falls for him big-time. Now she is torn between turning him
in or setting him free.
"Crown" is a
fine return to form for Director John McTiernan. After his sidestep
with 1993's almost unwatchable "Last Action Hero", McTiernan returns
to the slick style he established with "Die Hard" and "The Hunt
for Red October". McTiernan proves he is a master at setup, and
the opening scene where the Monet is stolen recalls the flawless
takeover of Fox Plaza at the beginning of "Die Hard". He makes it
look so easy, and the bad guys never even break a sweat. The final
heist at the film's conclusion is so energetic and flawless, it
keeps you at the edge of your seat.
Brosnan is no
stranger to making the impossible look so easy, as evidenced by
his "James Bond" experience. Like Bond, Crown embodies the dashing,
jet-setter lifestyle with a taste for the good life. However, unlike
Bond, Crown is a compassionate and sympathetic human being who remains
just mysterious enough to keep you wondering who's side he's really
on. Here's a guy who can have anything he wants, and we're still
drawn in as to why he needs to steal the artwork as opposed to just
buying it. Even Faye Dunaway, who pays homage to the original "Crown"
with a role as Crown's psychiatrist, can't help him.
Why we should
care about Crown, who is so alienated from the rest of us, is a
concern. McTiernan knows that Crown's lavish lifestyle may cut him
off from the rest of the audience. While voicing his opinion as
to the seriousness of catching an art thief as opposed to more serious
crimes, Leary (as McCann) admits that even he "doesn't give a s--t".
Flirtatious
and exuding sexuality, Russo has never been better. We can see her
struggle as she ponders whether to do her job or follow her heart.
The chemistry she shares with Brosnan is electrifying, and its obvious
that she's is having fun letting loose. Her love scenes with Brosnan
are surely the steamiest to come out of Hollywood in some time,
even making the orgy-fest in "Eyes Wide Shut" seem pale by comparison.
Like "Die Hard"
and "Red October", "The Thomas Crown Affair" is one of those movies
that lend themselves to repeated viewings. From the setup to the
payoff, "Crown" is simply a fun film to watch. Balancing mystery,
sensuality, and action with the passion between Brosnan and Russo
makes this "Crown" an affair to remember.
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