Movie · 2010 · Action, Thriller, Romance · 1h 43m · PG-13 · English
Curator score: 0.8/10 (441.6K ratings)
It all started when he met a woman.
Overview
American tourist Frank meets mysterious British woman Elise on the train to Venice. Romance seems to bud, but there's more to her than meets the eye.
Ratings
Curator score: 0.8/10
IMDb: 6.0/10
Letterboxd: 2.66/5
Rotten Tomatoes: 21%
Metacritic: 37
TMDB: 6.2/10
Director
Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck
Production
GK Films, Spyglass Entertainment, Birnbaum/Barber Productions, StudioCanal, Columbia Pictures, Peninsula Films
Cast
Johnny Depp, Angelina Jolie, Paul Bettany, Timothy Dalton, Steven Berkoff, Rufus Sewell, Christian De Sica, Alessio Boni, Daniele Pecci, Giovanni Guidelli, Raoul Bova, Bruno Wolkowitch, Julien Baumgartner, François Vincentelli, Clément Sibony, Jean-Claude Adelin, Jean-Marie Lamour, Nicolas Guillot, Mhamed Arezki, Igor Jijikine
Curator Review
Verdict
A glossy, easy-to-watch star vehicle with strong Venice atmosphere and a light sense of intrigue, but the plotting is thin and the central romance never fully catches fire. It works better as polished escapism than as a satisfying thriller.
Best for
viewers who want scenic European glamour
fans of star-driven, low-stakes espionage romance
people who enjoy twisty plots even when they’re obvious
audiences in the mood for a breezy, undemanding thriller
Skip if
you want a tightly constructed mystery
you need strong romantic chemistry
you’re looking for suspense that really escalates
you’re impatient with style-over-substance capers
Overview
The Tourist is the kind of movie that looks expensive in every frame: Venice glows, the costumes are immaculate, and the whole thing has the sheen of a luxury travel ad with a conspiracy attached. It’s built around the appeal of its leads, but the film never quite finds the spark that would make the romance or the danger feel irresistible.
Worth noting
There are moments where the movie seems to be teasing a smarter, nimbler thriller underneath all the gloss, and for some viewers that’s enough to keep it moving. But the script is too interested in being coy and too little interested in building real tension, so the twists land with more shrug than shock.
Bottom line
As a piece of polished escapism, it’s watchable. As a thriller, it’s frustratingly soft. If you’re here for atmosphere, celebrity glamour, and a postcard version of Venice, it delivers; if you’re here for momentum or emotional heat, it mostly drifts by.
Top Letterboxd reviews
Brooke (3★) · 2557 likes
YOU GUYS PLEASE LOOK AT A PHOTO OF THIS DIRECTOR IT JUST MATCHES HIS NAME SO PERFECTLY IM CRYING OVER THIS
Jake Cole (1.5★) · 605 likes
What a gorgeously photographed slide show of the cast's all-expenses trip to Venice.
rubbybells (1.5★) · 567 likes
There was more chemistry between Paul Bettany and some burnt pieces of paper than between the 2 leads
heavenlybody (2★) · 476 likes
one star for angelina and one for venice.
gabi (3.5★) · 424 likes
i can’t judge frank because i too would risk my life for angelina jolie
1963 · Comedy, Mystery, Romance · 1h 53m · NR · Curator 8.5/10 (289K ratings) · Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video, fuboTV, Philo, Pure Flix, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Bloodstream
A stylish romantic thriller that balances wit, danger, and international glamour far better, with real chemistry and a playful sense of mystery.
2007 · Crime, Drama, Thriller · 1h 57m · R · Curator 9.0/10 (122.7K ratings) · Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, fuboTV, Night Flight Plus, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
A very different tone, but it offers sleek plotting and escalating deception with far more bite and payoff.