THE THOMAS CROWN AFFAIR

R : Released August 1999

starring Pierce Brosnan, Rene Russo, Denis Leary, Ben Gazzara, and Faye Dunaway

directed by John McTiernan

written by Leslie Dixon and Kurt Wimmer - original story by Alan R. Trustman

B -- --


Ah, the adult film, that oh-so-precious rarity. At least, rare this year so far. Between the teen sex comedies that seem to be released every other day and the insipid 'event' films which are so simplistic most primates can understand them, adults really have had very few places to go at the local megaplex.

But fear no more, those of you in search of a movie without lasers or acne. In this last summer of the millennium, the adult film makes a welcome comeback in THE THOMAS CROWN AFFAIR. This burnished and glossy remake of the Steve McQueen art heist thriller is coated in sophisticated banter, charming (if unchallenging) characters, and enough gold lens filters on the camera to make the actors seem touched by the hand of God herself. While it's not a spectacular film by any measure, it delights just enough to make you realize how you've missed this kind of film -- one where no one humps apple pies and where no one cracks flatulence jokes.

"This is an elegant crime, committed by an elegant man," says Rene Russo at the beginning of THE THOMAS CROWN AFFAIR, and she might as well have been talking about the movie itself. Elegance pours off the screen in this quirky love story between Thomas Crown (Pierce Brosnan), a millionaire businessman (and sometime art thief), and the special agent placed on his case (Russo). The locales are immaculate and gorgeous, including tropical island getaway villas, meticulously decorated Manhattan brownstones, and ultra-modern office suites. Russo and Brosnan look like a million bucks, him in his beautifully tailored suits and her in her seductress-cum-policewoman evening gowns. She's not even a real policeman, but a glamorous high-priced bounty hunter, who hunts down stolen art for an European insurance company. Need I mention that the art direction is flawless?

The film also continually reminds you this is an 'adult picture', whether through the obliquely mature, flirtatious dialogue, or the copious but tasteful nudity which peppers the film's love scenes. It's refreshing to see two middle-aged stars comfortable in their more adult sexuality, and one never gets the nervous tension of Eyes Wide Shut or the silly inaneity of American Pie. This is the way it should be done, without pretense and with a careful eye pointed toward realistic love relationships between people who aren't pubescent.

Brosnan drifts just slightly to the left of his James Bond persona to portray Thomas Crown, exploring a little new territory without disappointing his franchise's fans. (Brosnan's true screen stardom is evident in every frame; THE THOMAS CROWN AFFAIR will make anyone hungry to see the next Bond film, The World Is Not Enough, due next November.) Russo is clearly thrilled to be playing a role which isn't a sidekick or bimbette. Denis Leary, as the weary NYPD detective on the case, is a bit of a letdown; his acerbic wit and acid tongue are kept carefully in check, much to the audience's disappointment.

Brosnan also served as a producer for this picture, and it's clear that he perceives this as a potential new film series for himself. While that remains to be seen, THE THOMAS CROWN AFFAIR does serve a clearly underappreciated audience. While Hollywood goes in search of the teen market, older crowds should flock to smart, beautiful, interesting fare like this. And who knows, maybe they'll notice, and maybe they'll make more of them.