The Accidental Tourist (1988)

	Directed by: Lawrence Kasdan	COUNTRY USA GENRE Drama/Comedy NORWEGIAN TITLE Den tilfeldige turist RUNNING TIME 121 minutes
	Produced by: Lawrence Kasdan
	Written by (based on the novel by Anne Tyler): Lawrence Kasdan

Cast includes:
CHARACTER	ACTOR/ACTRESS	RATING
Macon Leary	William Hurt	½
Sarah Leary	Kathleen Turner
Muriel Pritchett	Geena Davis	½
Rose Leary	Amy Wright
Porter Leary	David Ogden Stears	½
Charles Leary	Ed Begley, Jr.	½
Julian	Bill Pullman	½
Alexander	Robert Hy Gorman

Review

The third teaming of Lawrence Kasdan/William Hurt is an unconventional and arduous but ultimately rewarding film that treats life like the bumpy struggle that it is – with some added pessimism. After losing a son to a brutal, meaningless murder, and subsequently a wife who grew tired of their faltering marriage, travel guide writer Macon Leary (Hurt) has to pick himself up and find a way to heal his dysfunctional existence. The cure might just be Muriel, the free-spirited, direct woman he meets at the local kennel.

William Hurt retains his well-known formal, intellectual persona, but removes his usual wit, spirit, and confidence for his portrayal of Macon Leary. The result is a constrained and dense performance. Macon is a pain to watch, but we never give up on him. Luckily, Geena Davis is a breath of fresh and uncontrollable air opposite him – unpolished and clumsy, yet full of life. Add to that a family trapped in the "Leary groove", and Kasdan brings to screen a skewed take on life filled with people in states of mind you wouldn't want to find yourself in, but that you'll still more or less will recognize. Kasdan's adaptation from Anne Tyler's novel demonstrates why converting books to film can be both very rewarding and very challenging. To Kasdan's credit, he goes all the way; there are no compromises here. And although The Accidental Tourist might threaten to wear the viewer out, it also ultimately has something out of the ordinary to offer. It's a depressing feel-good movie.