Customer Reviews

Tempo

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

TEMPO is an odd sort of film. It seems to be caught up in camera tricks, rapid sequence photography, and in search of a story to follow. Sarah (Melanie Griffith) is a middle-aged, beautiful lady who lives high in Paris with a 'kept lover' Jack (Hugh Dancy) and supports her lifestyle by being a runner for the black market transportation of antique bric-a-brac, a life of crime she shares with Jack. Her past is cloaked in mystery, but she seems to hide some deep pains by her co-habitation with the young and handsome Jack. While off on what appears to be a routine "job" in Munich, Jack meets and flips for a very young girl Jenny (Rachel Leigh Cook) sent to Paris by her wealthy family to 'get her out of their hair'. She works in a classy Parisian jewelry shop and has all the rights of a trusted shop girl. The two carry on a steamy encounter until Sarah returns unexpectedly from a botched 'job', desperate and on the run to find money to resolve a shady dealing. It is at this point that the film becomes poignant, not because of the speed of the resolution of the story of how the money is obtained, but because of Sarah's being forced to face the fact that her young lover has found another younger mate. In her search of resolution we are allowed to learn Sarah's sad background and how she came to be in the state in which she finds herself - an aging woman with a past, in dire need for a real love. Melanie Griffith does a fine job finding this vulnerable state and it is her interaction with Dancy and Cook that makes this little mystery/chase movie worthwhile. There are other good performances (including Malcolm McDowell) and the 'tempo' of direction by Eric Styles is full fast forward most of the time. Worthy of your time, more as a character study than an action flick.

An interesting, but predictable twist centers this film. The three big name stars that are in this film - Melanie Griffith, Rachael Leigh Cook, and Hugh Dancy - all act mediocre in this film. Hugh Dancy is charming, and even shows off his rear behind in a shower scene, which should be enough to get his fangirls to see this film.

This movie is so weak I can barely explain how it has damaged me. It seems to rest somewhere between mainstream and indie styles, but in either genre it is a hollow movie. The only good thing about this movie is Hugh Dancy. I love him as an actor (and it doesn't hurt that he's attractive), but I am horribly disappointed in his choice to participate in this film. Bad Hugh. Slap on the wrist and let's all move on, okay? If you need me I'll be in my room, crouched in the fetal position and whimpering softly to myself. Need.....developed.....script.....NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

This movie was really bad. The story seemed to be thrown together. The dialogue was not believable. The characters were underdeveloped. Melanie Griffith was terrible, Rachel Leigh Cook was terrible. The only worthwhile quality this movie had can be summed up in three little words: Hugh Dancy Naked. He's the most believable actor in this movie. He really does all a person can do with such awful dialogue, but this isn't his best performance. If you're not a Hugh Dancy fan, don't waste your time with this movie.

In this derivative, limp made for Canadian TV movie, Melanie Griffith stumbled through the role of a glitzy "courier" for obviously illegal products. She has a younger live-in stud (Hugh Dancy in a weak performance) and is sent on a secretive mission by Malcolm McDowell (he pops up in almost anything these days). Melanie also has a sleazy additional boss (played with absent malice by Art Malik) who screws up the McDowell deal and then demands eighty thousand dollars for the effort. Along comes lovely Rachael Leigh Cook (who deserves better than this) who suddenly becomes the true love of Dancy's miserable life. Dancy is such a spineless cad one can hardly feel sympathy for the miss the three of them end up in. It's all been done before and much much better. TEMPO is a composition without any heart.

Melanie Griffith, Rachel Leigh Cook, and Hugh Dancy star in this straight-to-video film about one female transporter, who gets into trouble because of someone plotting against her. Well, that's all about it, apparently, but the film tries to give something unique to the otherwise unoriginal plot.

I mean, the slightly original character of Sarah by Melanie Griffth, who plays that smuggler in trouble. Given a special job by Malcom McDowell with his customary 'I-could-be-very-baaaad' smile, Sarah agrees to carry a pack hidden in her bag. But as you know, someone also wants that package, and ... well, that's nothing new, but she is attacked on the way.

DON'T EXPECT ANY THRILLER, however. The film's focus is not about that; it is the relations about Sarah and Jack (Dancy) who live together in a fancy Paris apartment. But while Sarah is away from Paris on business, Jack is attracted to a younger lady Jenny (Cook) who also falls for him.

Thus the film makes an effort to include both love and crime. Nice try, considering this interesting point about the character of elder lady Sarah, but if the factor is taken away from the film, the end result is nothing but a flat, tired suspence -- suspence as to its relations and its crimes alike. Either way, the film is emotilnally very void.

OK. two fatally bad things: one, too incredible characters. See, Sarah is a professional courier who must know the rules of the job, which could be dangerous. But instead of renting a car (and it's Europe, where that could be pretty easy), she takes a train (and a night train!) in which she becomes an easy target. In this way, the film misses every chance to make it more suspenceful. When some character(s) must die, they die like characters in old video games -- they fall, that's all.

The other one; acting. Let me be honest. It was painful to watch the one-dimentional performance of Melanie Griffith, who was very good in 'Another Day in Paradise.' Maybe she is not the greatest actor, but certainly she can act. But as far as 'Tempo' is concerned, no, I don't think so.

Only the location of Paris saves this film from utter forgettableness. Forget about this one.

I don't care what your type of movie is, I don't see how you will like this. These actors must have been desperate for money to make such a lame film. I gave it one star for landing such a well known cast in such a horrid film.

when i first began watching this movie i thought what is going on all these lights and cars chasing each other but after i got
past that i thought it was a wonderful movie. melanie was ok and
rachel was amazing but hugh dancy was the most amazing one of all. i never expected to see him that way and to see that shower seen well......i'll let every one see it for themselves.
i think this movie was really great and who ever doesn't think
so should watch it again because maybe they fell asleep or some
thing because this movie was great.