KNIGHT AND DAY
US, 2010, 109 minutes, Colour.
Tom Cruise, Cameron Diaz, Peter Sarsgaard, Jordi Molla, Viola Davis, Paul Dano, Marc Blucas, Maggie Grace, Celia Weston.
Directed by James Mangold.
Audiences thought it more than a little eccentric or, even, mad, when Tom Cruise leapt over sofas on The Oprah Winfrey Show. Wait till they seem his ultra gymnastics here, in planes, in and on cars, on Seville rooftops... with even more agility than he showed in the Mission Impossible movies.
Really, this one looks back to those movies, even having some episodes that remind us of them, Cruise hanging just above ground, derring-do on a train with mistaken identities.
So, Knight and Day is both mission impossible and implausible. Not that that necessarily matters because the film-makers are operating with tongues firmly in cheeks and are defying anyone to take it seriously. On that premiss, we let go of disbelief and whizz along with it.
So, Tom is Roy, a secret agent on the run who bumps into a woman who is a vintage car restorer on her way to her sister’s wedding. They bump into each other several times, then have a turbulently bumpy time on a plane which lands in a field – and that is just the beginning. The plot involves Roy continually saving June from danger, sometimes drugging her or knocking her out with muscular control so that she wakes up in her own room or on an island hideaway in the Azores or in a train speeding through the Austrian Alps. Since June is played by Cameron Diaz, there are some difficulties. She is about 10cms taller than Cruise (not that the photography angles would let us know this) and, as evidenced by how she takes control of things towards the end of the film, to find her such a squeamish, wilting, screaming and terrified victim in the main part of the film, it is hard to believe she is so helpless.
There are villains (Peter Sarsgaard), darkish inventor heroes (Paul Dano), a serious agency boss (Viola Davis) who can turn up everywhere from Austria to Spain with very little notice (and very little time allotted for actually travelling there). Stunts, fights, double-crossing, some romantic touches – making it a film silly beyond words. Not that this necessarily matters either, since it is designed for light entertainment and escapism (and there are plenty of far-fetched escapes to enjoy).
1. A film of escapism – and beyond?
2. The title, the tone?
3. The screenplay, the debt to Mission Impossible, spies, technology, abductions, pursuits, heroes, double-cross? Images and episodes from the Mission Impossible films?
4. The exotic locations: Wichita, the airport, Boston, the city, New York, Austria, Spain, local colour with streets and buildings, restaurants, the European train, the alps, the bull run in Seville? The musical score?
5. The introduction to June, her heavy luggage, bumping into Roy, going through security and explaining the car parts, her being allowed on after telling the story about the wedding, the flight, turbulence, chatting with Roy, her life story, going to the Ladies’, rehearsing what to say to Roy? Oblivious of what was happening in the plane?
6. The introduction to Roy, bumping into June, on the plane, his puzzle about June, watching the passengers, the shootout, everybody dead, landing the plane in the field, giving June the drug?
7. The possibilities and impossibilities of the plot, implausibilities? This not mattering – the film-makers just doing it, whatever the implausibilities?
8. June waking up at home, her puzzle, the notes from Roy, the warnings? The visit from Rodney, talking things over with him, the TV news with the crash? Roy turning up, talking, the shootout, taking June, Rodney wounded? The television and his being hailed as a hero?
9. June, the wedding, trying on the dress? Discussing the car with April as a gift – and later not giving it to her? June as an ordinary person, so much in distress (credible in view of her later heroism)? Her interest in Roy, her being taken by Fitzgerald, the talk about safety, secure places? The shootouts on the freeway? Roy’s miraculous appearances, heroism, the cars, the trucks, the driving with the dead people? The explosion? Roy taking June to New York?
10. Looking for Simon Feck, his message, Roy and the attack, the shootouts, June and the gun, counting one, two, three? Roy drugging her again?
11. Waking up on the island, her reaction, clash with Roy, exploring the island, answering the phone call, the planes and the attack, going into the sea, the helicopter? Roy disabling her, the story about hands and strength – and June later using this?
12. Waking up in Austria, in the train, not obeying Roy’s orders about leaving the carriage, meeting the thug and thinking he was Simon, the driver, his death, the assassin? Simon and Roy turning up, the fight?
13. Salzburg, the hotel, the set-up and June following Roy, his meeting the woman, the phone call to Spain, Antonio and wanting the implement? Giving the information to Director George? Fitzgerald? Fitzgerald coming to take Roy, the chase across the roof, his diving into the river?
14. Director George, her concern? Her relationship with Fitzgerald, her staff? Realising that Roy was on the side of good and cleaning out the traitors?
15. Fitzgerald as villain, going to Spain, the links with Antonio, capturing Simon, wanting to do the deal?
16. June and her visit to Roy’s parents, the information, finding out about him, the set-up, his disappearance after the Gulf War? Her setting up whoever was listening in on her phone?
17. Going to Spain, the truth drug, Antonio and the interrogation, her blurting out the truth, Roy and the rescue, the chases through the city, the cars, the bull run?
18. Simon, the battery, its failure, his fainting, Fitzgerald taking it, its warming, the helicopter and the explosion?
19. Simon, happy, continuing to develop his invention?
20. June and Roy, driving to Cape Horn – remembering his list of things he wanted to do? The humorous aspect of his parents being financially supported by Roy without their knowledge, the tickets to Cape Horn?
