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Lawrence Kasdan is one of the only directors whose movies I’ll watch for
the sole reason that he directed them. (Examples of his movies are The Big
Chill, Grand Canyon, French Kiss, and Mumford.) I actually
didn’t know he’d directed The Accidental Tourist until his
name flashed at the beginning of this classic Academy-Award-winning film. But
when I saw his name, I was sure I was in for a treat: a film with well-written
characters, good cinematography, excellent casting and acting, and thematic
elements coming naturally out of the narrative. I was right.
The Accidental Tourist tells the story of a travel writer, played by
William Hurt, who goes through life shielding himself from being affected by
things. In fact, his series of books for business travelers teach how to be
as comfortable while traveling as they are in their own armchairs at home (his
logo is a flying armchair).
We meet him at a particularly uncomfortable time in his life—a year after
his twelve-year-old son is randomly shot and killed. We meet him just as his
marriage, torn by grief, is going through rocky times—his wife, played
by Kathleen Turner, is moving out. However, it’s not until he meets a quirky,
completely honest and straightforward dog trainer (played by Geena Davis, who
completely deserved her Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her portrayal) that
he himself begins to change.
Like I said, this is a classic Kasdan film that’s well worth watching—maybe
more than once. Don’t watch it if you’re in the mood for horror, dumb
humor, or mind-bending suspense, but if you’re up for a good drama, pick
it up. It isn’t too taxing, but will leave you with food for thought.
