The Tourist parents guide

The Tourist Parent Guide

While the film asks audiences to justify a fair amount of criminal behavior, this brief dalliance offers viewers an entertaining getaway without facing their own threat of mistaken identity.

Overall B-

Beware of beautiful women! Traveling solo on a train to Venice, Frank Tupelo (Johnny Depp) is approached by a mysterious lady (Angelina Jolie) -- but once he arrives in the Italian city, he discovers she has ties to crime and espionage that soon have him in hot water.

Release date December 10, 2010

Violence C
Sexual Content B+
Profanity D+
Substance Use C+

Why is The Tourist rated PG-13? The MPAA rated The Tourist PG-13 for violence and brief strong language.

Run Time: 102 minutes

Official Movie Site

Parent Movie Review

Traveling may be good solace for the soul, but a solo trip from Paris to Venice takes on an air of intrigue for American tourist Frank Tupelo (Johnny Depp) when a beautiful and enigmatic woman (Angelina Jolie) approaches him on the train. Sitting across from him, she convinces the mystery-reading schoolteacher to put down his novel and take her to dinner. After arriving at their Italian destination, the alluring Elise Clifton-Ward also invites the traveler to come to her hotel room. (But despite her flirtatious advances, he finds himself sleeping on the couch in the luxurious accommodations rather than with her.)

The plot intensifies when Frank awakens to discover Elise has gone. In her place are two Russian thugs who threaten him with guns, accusing him of being the illusive thief Andrew Pearson. Jumping out of a hotel window, Frank escapes from the pair only to land in an Italian holding cell after accidently pushing a local policeman into the canal during his hurried departure. While in custody, he tries to convince the authorities there’s been a misunderstanding about his identity. Luckily Elise rescues Frank from his predicament. She then confesses she has set him up to be a target for a vengeful gangster (Steven Berkoff) and some Scotland Yard officers.

Regretting her part in the ruse, Elise supplies Frank with all the necessary travel items for a flight back to the Midwest. Unfortunately by this time, the Wisconsin math teacher has fallen in love with the pretty lady. Rather than leaving, he opts to stay in Italy and pursue Elise—a choice that frustrates Agent Acheson (Paul Bettany) and other law officials as Frank’s bumbling antics disrupt their sting operations.

Without taking itself too seriously, this light crime caper offers audience members (including the guy sitting next to me at the screening) plenty of reasons to engage in this story, which combines spectacular locations, strong secondary characters and a good dose of humor. Even the roles of Elise and Frank are a shift for Jolie and Depp. While Jolie plays another cool-headed operative, her part is more subtle than those she portrayed in Salt and Mr. & Mrs. Smith. And although he is still given to quirky comments, Depp is much more stable here than the delusional Captain Jack Sparrow he created in the Pirates of the Caribbean movies.

Yet in spite of the capricious feel, the film is best suited for adults and older teens. During an incident with a gang boss, one of his henchmen is strangled for failing to complete his assignment. Throughout the movie characters are fired on and, in some cases, killed. Those depictions, along with two strong sexual expletives and infrequent profanities, add a serious element to the plotline.

But while the film asks audiences to justify a fair amount of criminal behavior, this brief dalliance with an unsuspecting tourist and an attractive female passenger offers viewers an entertaining getaway without facing their own threat of mistaken identity.

Directed by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck . Starring Johnny Depp, Angelina Jolie, Paul Bettany. Running time: 102 minutes. Theatrical release December 10, 2010. Updated

The Tourist
Rating & Content Info

Why is The Tourist rated PG-13? The Tourist is rated PG-13 by the MPAA for violence and brief strong language.

Violence: On several occasions characters are shot at or threatened with a knife. A man is hit in the back of the head and then run over by a boat. A character is strangled. Others talk about a man’s past murders. Snipers surround a hotel room. Men are killed by gunfire. A woman is slapped and threatened. Characters experience peril because of mistaken identities.

Sexual Content: Men comment about a woman’s underwear, which is briefly seen when she later undresses. A couple kisses. A man dreams about a passionate kiss with a woman.

Language: This script does contain infrequent scatological slang, profanities, and two uses of a strong sexual expletive.

Alcohol / Drug Use: Characters repeatedly engage in social drinking. A man uses an electronic cigarette on several occasions. Later, he and others are seen smoking real cigarettes.

Other: A dishonest police officer accepts a bribe. Characters gamble.

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The Tourist Parents' Guide

Does the light-hearted approach of the movie make the depicted crimes seem less evil? Does stealing money from another criminal lessen the significance of the theft? Do you agree with the final decision of the Scotland Yard police captain?

How does this film make fun of the serious spy genre? What role does humor play in the script? In addition to the Russian henchmen, what other stereotypes does this film employ?

How is smoking portrayed in this story? Is there a "coolness" factor associated with it?

Home Video

The most recent home video release of The Tourist movie is March 22, 2011. Here are some details…

The Tourist releases to DVD and Blu-ray on March 22, 2011, with the following bonus extras:

- Featurettes: A Gala Affair and Bringing Glamour Back

-  Alternate Animated Title Sequence

- Director Commentary

- Outtake Reel

The Tourist on Blu-ray also includes:

-  Featurettes: Action in Venice, Canal Chats and Tourist Destination Travel the Canals of Venice

-  MovieIQ

Related home video titles:

After bumping into a handsome stranger in the airport, another hapless character is pulled into the dangerous world of underground crime in the movie Knight and Day. Other American tourists get a taste of foreign cultures in Roman Holiday, Julie and Julia, Under the Tuscan Sun, Mamma Mia! and Last Holiday.