Grimossfer Clever and entertaining enough to recommend even to members of the 1%

AnhartLinkin This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

Kodie Bird True to its essence, the characters remain on the same line and manage to entertain the viewer, each highlighting their own distinctive qualities or touches.

Celia A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

moonspinner55 After his wife is kidnapped from their Paris hotel room soon after checking in, confused, distraught American doctor (Harrison Ford) finds himself plunged into a complex web involving Arab terrorists. Rather mild Hitchcockian suspense-thriller from director Roman Polanski, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Gerard Brach. Polanski sets up the pieces to this chess game awkwardly, with opening moments that don't convince (Ford and spouse Betty Buckley act more like brother and sister than a married couple). The pacing does pick up from there, despite the fact that Ford's character is seldom likable and is mainly just a plot device (the worried husband). Newcomer Emmanuelle Seigner (later Mrs. Polanksi) is tantalizing as a young woman who becomes involved, and her scenes with Ford give the picture a sexy shot in the arm. ** from ****

Predrag Harrison Ford has made something of a career of playing earnest, middle-aged professionals whose successful lives are turned over. Ford himself does not come under personal suspicion here, and the action is a little slower, but you can see why the producers of the later film might have looked at this one and said "That's our Richard Kimble!" What it lacks in raw energy it makes up in director Roman Polanski's extremely well-observed footage of Paris, and it plays well on the frustration that Ford's character feels at being unable to speak French. There are some terrific scenes; Ford's adventures on the roof as mentioned above, him trying to 'buy' drugs in the nightclub, and, best of all, Ford and Seigner 'dancing' in the second nightclub towards the end - a wonderfully funny scene.This film feels very French, including Polanski's (right) decision not to subtitle the bits of French dialogue, despite being largely about Americans abroad, right down to the twist ending (which I won't give away), which let me with a suitably Gallic feeling of hopelessness. The story keeps you on your feet and you find yourself begging to find out what will happen next. Even better is that it's got the come back factor, leave it for a year and come back to it, it's nearly as exciting as seeing it for the first time. The thrum of a neatly designed Paris puts a near surreal edge on the atmosphere, and Ford is terrific as the American abroad shifting often between paranoia, frustration and panic. The appearance of the Statue of Liberty on the Seine outside the window of the boat cabin in Polanski is as magical and memorable an image as the Mount Rushmore finale in Hitchcock. To me, this is a pure magic!Overall rating: 9 out of 10.

Chillihead1 I remember watching this film years ago, now I remember why I had forgotten the ending, it's simply because the film makes no sense at all and I couldn't bear it to the end I won't write reams on the holes in the plot/story. Bottom line is that neither the acting nor the story are the least bit engaging, believable or interesting. The soundtrack is repetitive and the characters are hollow. The whole film revolves around a small apparently important piece of hardware, after 90 minutes it appears to have no more importance?! It's almost as though the main characters were in different films with no real continuity except when they met. Merde.

Donald Buehler This early (1988) Harrison Ford movie does well in some instances and not so well in others. An American Dr. in Paris for a "conference" (well we know all about boondoggles like this) takes a sharp turn when his wife disappears.Not believing that she has a "friend" in Paris - Harrison goes stumbling about from one (likely not connected) clue to another. And this is the charm of this film. We are used to seeing Harrison as the inimitable Jack Ryan in the Tom Clancy film adaptations of his books or as Indiana Jones (Super adventurer) who always has his head on straight, always acting decisively, or as the President in Air Force One. Ford's Dr. Richard Walker gropes around blindly - not knowing which way to turn - not getting any help from the Americans at the embassy - not getting any help from the French police (how surprising) - but stumbling onto one clue after another until he makes some progress in finding his wife. KInd of reminded me of Obama's first term.And on the way a lot of bad things happen to him - even getting maced by his "French girlfriend" Michelle.Some of the best parts in the film include his retort to the American Embassy guy who intimated that Dr. Walker's wife probably was off with a "friend" - Walker says - "You are talking about my wife - you must be thinking of yours!" as well as his bumbling search for his wife.The WORST part was when he and Michelle were in the "square, boring" nightclub (Michelle's evaluation) dancing while expecting to make contact with the "bad guys" who have kidnapped his wife - THE MUSIC was disgusting (Michelle complains and it looks as if she goes to see someone about it, but the music continues - so I guess she failed to get the French equivalent of Mariah Carey (UUGGHHH) off and someone better (Blondie or Shirley Manson) on the sound system.) And then the dancing she did with Harrison was absolutely bizarre. Reminded my of Calvaire - the most bizarre male on male dancing scene of all time (French Hill billies yet!!) The music of the dance scene reminded my of the music being played at Napoleon Dynamite's prom. Those dancing around them were also so lame and gaggy that I had trouble watching (Arabs doing the Bossa Nova - for goodness sake!!!)And one other bad part, when Dr. Walker and Michelle finally hook back up with his wife (after some very clumsy, awkward gun work ) and a death that looked like me falling off the ladder in my back yard, Mrs. Walker shows no signs of jealousy - but just concern for Michelle, Dr. walker's companion.EVERYONE thinks he is banging her, except his wife.Now that I have written the review - I have lowered my vote. All in all, a pretty poor excuse of a movie, although I have to admit, I'm glad I saw it again. DonB