laid-back performance from Tom

The Terminal – Stephen Spielberg

Consciously or not, this is Spielberg’s homage to Frank Capra, with all the mixed responses that engenders. It is deftly made, with wit, heart-warming humour and charm. It offers a 40’s soft-hearted idealism in a modern setting. The good guys are very good and the bad guys are really good underneath. As with Capra, you’ll either love it or hate it. Escapism is part of the soul and history of movies as a popular art form. For once, the box office is the true arbiter of whether Spielberg’s artistic aspiration plays to a knowing, less sentimental modern audience.

(September 2004)

Filed under: 3 star, Comedy, Drama, General, Hollywood, Political, Steven Spielberg