As Good As 007 Gets

reviewed Mon, 29 Dec 1997 21:50:40 EST

I kicked off my movie marathon with a double feature, linked only by the fact that they're playing at the same theater. First I saw AS GOOD AS IT GETS, which is a very funny and charming movie with a terrific cast. Jack Nicholson is at his most sardonic, Cuba Gooding Jr. is great, and everyone else -- even the dog -- does a wonderful job (though Greg Kinnear is a touch too whiny; why can't he find a film role that lets him be as sexy and charming as he was on Talk Soup?). The film's about half an hour too long, but overall it's fun and even touching.

Then it was over to TOMORROW NEVER DIES. There's a comforting sameness to Bond movies, like chicken soup when you're sick. That music, the looking-down-the-gun-barrel opening, those contorting silhouetted girls... This latest entry is pretty much your standard Bond-age, neither outstanding nor sucky. The main plot point of a megalomaniacal media king creating a war for ratings is just plain silly. But you don't go to a 007 movie for intelligent plotting. TND delivers what the people want: explosions, chases, kick-ass action, and T&A, here supplied by Teri Hatcher in the tradition of talentless bimbos stretching back to Ursula Andress. But please, for god's sake, somebody retire Desmond Llewellyn (Q). He's just too damn old to be doing this. And how badly does Jonathan Pryce need to buy shoes for his kid that he's taking these crappy roles? He used to be a REAL actor. And the product placement has become distressingly shameless.

Pierce Brosnan is still sexy and suave as 007, but the real star of TND is Michelle Yeoh as Wai Lin, like as in whalin' on the bad guys. She's awesome! I'm putting in my vote for her to become Brosnan's permanent partner -- they have terrific chemistry together. She's the kind of "Bond girl" I like to see: beautiful, smart, and able to kick Bond's ass.

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