In a Hollywood full of remakes, sequels and redos it's refreshing when an original storyline pops up.  This is one of the most unique ideas I have seen in recent years and it figures that it would come from Spielberg.  And what actor could pull this off but Tom Hanks?  This is a team that will make entertaining pictures when others continue to rehash and remake.

Hanks is Viktor Navorski, a nice, simple guy that comes to New York for a visit.  While he is in flight, his Eastern European country is thrown into civil war.  When he lands at Kennedy his passport is seized, as he no longer has a country that is recognized by the U.S.  Having no country means he has no visa and he is confined to the airport by a by-the-book, hard-assed Customs agent played perfectly by Stanley Tucci.  He learns to speak English by watching TV and reading and learns about American customs when he is befriended by terminal employees.  He even falls in love with Catherine Zeta-Jones, a flight attendant who can't seem to get the man/woman thing right.  Add to all of this the "mission" that he has promised to fulfill and you have a story that's special.

Let's get the bad part out of the way.  This picture was a little too long and took too much time to end once it got there.  Having said that, it was unique, well acted and the kind of picture that's funny, sad, happy and deep, all at the same time. This is an adult crowd pleaser without the sex, nudity and violence.  Could it really happen?  Absolutely not!  The premise of this story is impossible, impractical and improbable and to that I say, SO WHAT!  It was fun and enjoyable and the folks will think more of it than the critics but that's normal.

RECOMMENDATION:  Again, I tell you that entertainment is enough and this picture is pure entertainment.  The PG-13 rating is a mystery to me.  This picture is suited for all.

TWO AIRPORT BOUND THUMBS UP, WITH DOUBLE FREQUENT FLYER MILES FOR SPIELBERG!!! (Like he REALLY needs them!) .

Movie Review © 2004 by Terry Anderson