Pierce Brosnan stars as the anti-Bond in maverick director John Boorman's adaptation of legendary spy novelist John le Carre's seamy tour of post-Noriega Panama. A British intelligence agent whose taste for gambling and other men's wives has put him on the wrong side of his bosses at MI6, Andy Osnard (Brosnan) is posted to the backwater of Panama to atone for his sins. To that end, he recruits upscale tailor Harry Pendel (Geoffrey Rush), leveraging the man's financial problems and questionable past to gain access to information about the activities of his elite clientele. Meanwhile, Osnard remains true to form, recruiting the personal services of lovely embassy official Francesca (Catherine McCormack), and attempting the same with Harry's wife, Louisa (Jamie Lee Curtis). When Harry's best friend Micki (Brendan Gleeson), a former member of the anti-Noriega underground, now a broken man, begins blustering about politics in front of Osnard, both of these con men begin to see him as the solution to their problems. The mundane tragedy of espionage familiar to le Carre's Cold Warriors has been replaced by farce with the collapse of the Soviet Union. Boorman creates an atmosphere redolent with U.S.-abetted corruption in this well written and acted film, which also features playwright Harold Pinter in a cameo role.
Theatrical Release: MARCH 30, 2001 (LIMITED)
Blu-ray Disc Features:
Anamorphic Widescreen - 1.85
Full Frame - 1.33
Audio:
Dolby Digital 5.1 - English
Dubbed - French - Optional
Subtitles - Chinese, English, French, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, Thai
Director of Photography
Phillippe Rousselot: French cinematographer, REMEMBER THE TITANS
Source Writer
John Le Carré: Author, TAILOR OF PANAMA (2001)
Production Designer
Derek Wallace: TV ART DIRECTOR
Review 1:
"...Unique and fascinating....Boorman does a fine job of capturing a chaotic, slightly sinister tropical atmosphere, and he draws excellent performances..."
Source: Movieline's Hollywood Life
p.30-1 05/01/2001
Review 2:
"...Directed by the inestimable John Boorman, and with a classy cast....Rush delivers] yet another subtly charismatic turn..."
Source: Total Film
p.96 05/01/2001
Review 3:
"...A hypnotic film that stays resonantly humane even as Boorman skewers British and American diplomacy with martini-dry wit..."
Source: Rolling Stone
p.146 04/12/2001
Review 4:
"...TAILOR benefits from delicious acting....[Boorman] brings intelligence, verve, a sense of fun and a clear lack of sentiment to material that benefits from all of the above..."
Source: Los Angeles Times
p.2 03/30/2001
Review 5:
"...The movie plays as a joy for lovers of well-written, carefully crafted character thrillers. It has a lot of wry, twisted humor..."
Source: Chicago Sun-Times
p.31 03/30/2001
Review 6:
"...Very amusing....[Brosnan and Rush are] hilarious, both apart and together..."
Source: Box Office
p.61 06/01/2001
Review 7:
"...Brosnan and Rush are a smooth fit, playing off each other like a snappy shirt and tie..." -- 3 out of 4 stars
Source: USA Today
p.E4 03/30/2001
Review 8:
"...[A] masterful, eccentrically bespoke of adaptation....The mohair-and-silk blend of Rush and Brosnan, Boorman and le Carre feels good, luxe, exciting..."
Source: Entertainment Weekly
p.85-6 04/06/2001