The Accidental Tourist (1988)

I was an accidental viewer who accidentally saw this, the most boring film in the history or movies.

The main character introduces to us very much like this about what to take and what's not while going on a travel: "Take one book to avoid people who will want to talk to you. But don't take more than one book because you might not have space to fill your suitcase with other things. Take detergent. Take a gray suit." Travel guide's writer Macon Leary (William Hurt) is someone in control of everything around him and such rules usually work (except if he's traveling along with someone who has his famous guide named "The Accidental Tourist"). But control doesn't apply when it comes to dealing with emotions, the loss of a family member or a marriage. His guide is useless to help him to cope with things after his wife Sara (Kathleen Turner) decides to left him, no longer bearing to stay with him after their son's tragic death. That was one step, one big change. Life's surprises and life's accidents will lead them to bigger but positive changes that will lead him to rediscover himself as a man, as a better person and as someone who cares about other people's feelings, something he wasn't so used to except for his family. The dog trainer Muriel (Geena Davis on her Oscar winning performance) will be that fundamental change in Macon's life, after an accident (again!) involving his dog Edward and she offers to train the animal who, like Macon, seemed to be deeply affected by the changes around him, biting his owner among other happenings. Muriel's not only interested in the job but also in the man, she wants to know him even though he keeps pushing her away, trying to be distant from her. Of course, they've got nothing in common: he is very quiet, moderate, a little bit cold and distant; she's completely extroverted, smiley, cheerful, someone people can easily relate with. Surprise again!We're all accidental tourists in this life, we didn't consciously chose to be on Earth and we don't get an traveling guide on how to live. There's situations we can control and others we cannot, and for the most part we're here to try and try again. We're here just for the ride. That's what "The Accidental Tourist" is about. A movie about the life's surprises, the unfortunate accidents, the happy accidents and the way people react to them, accepting them or not, but always remembering that these are things no one can manipulate, there's no form of control over them. Muriel deals with her problems with a smile on her face while Macon stays absent from whatever social situations may come on his way (quite comprehensible once you get the chance to know his brothers and sister, who don't even answer the phone when it rings in their house).Romantic, funny, delicate and enjoyable like a warm and sunny afternoon, "The Accidental Tourist" evokes life with a careful realism blended with what fiction brings best, a tiny bit of illusion perfectly made for any kind of audiences. Lawrence Kasdan's adaptation of Anne Tyler's novel is an inspiring story, an movie to be appreciated and it has all the fundamental elements that makes a great film being great . Perfect performances from the ensemble casting, Hurt enjoying his greatest moment after one Oscar and two consecutive nominations (surprises me that he wasn't nominated for this); Davis bringing grace and excellence as the charming Muriel; Turner has few moments but she shines in most of them; and good performances from Amy Wright (Macon's sister), Bill Pullman, David Ogden Stiers and Ed Begley, Jr.I strongly advise you to watch it more than once, if possible, since it isn't so simple to get the movie's idea right away. Sure, the majority will look at only to the romance that comes to surface but the movie is much more than this, it is also about people helping people, deconstructing ideals and mannerisms, trying new things in order to improve their lives for the best. You can't go wrong with those themes specially if they're being well handled. "The Accidental Tourist" certainly got that. 10/10

William Hurt and Kathleen Turner are so devastated by the death of their son that the marriage falls apart due to anguishing grief. Turner needs time to recover while Hurt is somber, numb, and grief-stricken to the point that he walks around in a daze, his face and demeanor barely able to contain the agony and loss he feels. That is when he meets, by chance or fate, a quirky dog trainer(played by Geena Davis who is a delight)who awakens in him a reason to live again. Turner, however, after time apart, wants to reenter his life and start over. THE ACCIDENTAL TOURIST follows Hurt's dilemma, having to choose between the woman he will always love and the new person who resuscitated him with her charm and unrelenting pursuit for his affections. I think what makes Lawrence Kasdan's THE ACCIDENTAL TOURIST work so well is that it's wholly believable and speaks from the heart, the performances of the three leads completing winning you over because they come from a realistic place. Hurt and Turner, as many married couples do, grieve to the point that they can no longer be around each other due to the painful recollection of the son they lost. Hurt is a travelogue writer who doesn't really enjoy the places as much as clinically define the experiences in a literal instead of pleasurable sense. Davis wears loud, colorful dresses, flashes a bright, wattage smile that is hard to resist(with a personality to match)and is actually the one who instigates the relationship. Hurt actually benefits from being around her because Davis is the type of person whose attitude and personality rub off on you. Turner, though, represents what he once had which is why he returns to her with little difficulty, although I think we can see all too well that this is window dressing. Davis, the other woman, is persistent in being a part of Hurt's life despite his heavy resistance. Meanwhile, there's a subplot regarding Hurt's wallflower sister(Amy Wright)and his publisher(Bill Pullman)who become an item, although she is dedicated to her family(Ed Begley, Jr. and David Ogden Stiers)which might test their courtship. Ultimately, I felt, the film is about healing and moving on past a horrific incident which stifles those truly affected. Turner and Hurt do eventually realize that the love between them will forever last, even if they can no longer be together as husband and wife. It's amusing how an unruly dog(owned by Hurt)is the reason for his meeting Davis in the first place(it bit a neighbor). Established in the film is Hurt's bouts with intense back pain, often a source of misery for him. The end of the 80s was good for Davis who seemed to perform at a high level entering into the next decade. Hurt successfully carries the film as a broken father and listless husband who so desperately needed someone like Geena to give him hope and some semblance of potential happiness. Turner, for the exception of maybe BODY HEAT, has never been more beautiful.

This is a remarkably good film, with a strong woman's role (Muriel) for Geena Davis, an excellent actress. William Hurt plays a travel writer (Macon) who hates to travel. His son was killed in a traffic accident, and the stress has led his character to separate from his wife (Sarah, played by Kathleen Turner). He returns to his family home, where his brothers and sister live, and you meet a stunningly civil, stunningly dysfunctional family. Muriel is very off the wall and just the relief Macon needs. Their growth toward each other, and Macon's recovery from the grief of his loss is subtly and well done.The contrast between Davis's character and the one played by Helen Hunt in "As Good as It Gets" merits thoughtful consideration. In this film, Muriel won't settle for Macon as he is when they meet. Muriel is a competent adult, not a needy woman. If Macon grows and meets her halfway, fine. If not, that's fine, too -- Muriel won't accept the emotionally crippled Macon. There are very few roles where women are written as strong, competent actors instead of passive accepters. ("Silence of the Lambs" comes to mind as another such movie, both for Clarice Starling and for Catherine Martin, the victim that traps Buffalo Bill's dog and uses it as a bargaining chip.)