19 August 1999 Edition
Cinema: A prince among movies
The Thomas Crown Affair
THE Thomas Crown Affair is a remake of the steamy 1968 classic starring Steve McQueen and Faye Dunaway, played in this version by Pierce Brosnan and Rene Russo.
Brosnan plays Thomas Crown, a self-made billionaire who can buy anything and is irresistible to women. But there are some things money can't buy. Quite simply, he has run out of challenges. When an alarm sounds at a world-class museum and someone walks out with a priceless Monet masterpiece, Crown is the last person New York police suspect. But, of course, Rene Russo is not codded for a minute, or else we would have no steamy love story. The brilliant investigator has been hired to retrieve the painting at whatever cost and she loves the chase every bit as much as Crown.
After a summer of pitiful blockbusters, here is a movie that respects the intelligence of the film-goer. Brosnan's Irish Dreamtime production company brings Crown into the 1990s, joining the themes and conflicts of the original movie to a well-crafted script and well-chosen cast, making this a real winner. Russo's is the most impressive performance, while for those more used to seeing Brosnan in the unchallengingly wooden role of James Bond, this will be a refreshing change. Watch out too for the always mesmerising Faye Dunaway, 31 years on.
If this newspaper indulged in the use of tacky star ratings, the Thomas Crown Affair would definitely rate four-and-a-half out of five, the half point being taken off only because a cynical film reviewer has to retain some street cred.
By Danny McCloskey
THE Thomas Crown Affair is a remake of the steamy 1968 classic starring Steve McQueen and Faye Dunaway, played in this version by Pierce Brosnan and Rene Russo.
Brosnan plays Thomas Crown, a self-made billionaire who can buy anything and is irresistible to women. But there are some things money can't buy. Quite simply, he has run out of challenges. When an alarm sounds at a world-class museum and someone walks out with a priceless Monet masterpiece, Crown is the last person New York police suspect. But, of course, Rene Russo is not codded for a minute, or else we would have no steamy love story. The brilliant investigator has been hired to retrieve the painting at whatever cost and she loves the chase every bit as much as Crown.
After a summer of pitiful blockbusters, here is a movie that respects the intelligence of the film-goer. Brosnan's Irish Dreamtime production company brings Crown into the 1990s, joining the themes and conflicts of the original movie to a well-crafted script and well-chosen cast, making this a real winner. Russo's is the most impressive performance, while for those more used to seeing Brosnan in the unchallengingly wooden role of James Bond, this will be a refreshing change. Watch out too for the always mesmerising Faye Dunaway, 31 years on.
If this newspaper indulged in the use of tacky star ratings, the Thomas Crown Affair would definitely rate four-and-a-half out of five, the half point being taken off only because a cynical film reviewer has to retain some street cred.
By Danny McCloskey