Review of The Accidental Tourist (1988) by Rahul A — 09 Aug 2011

A marvelous cast and an interesting story pretty much insures that this film would strike a chord with this viewer. Geena Davis as Muriel Pritchett, William Hurt, as Macon Leary, and Kathleen Turner as Macon's ex-wife, Sarah, headline, but the supporting cast, including Amy Wright, Bill Pullman and Ed Begley, Jr.

are outstanding as well. The tale revolves around a travel writer who slides through life trying to remain unaffected by his travels and inspires others to do the same. But, the murder of his son devastates his world and it takes the prodding of a quirky dog trainer to force him to awaken from his resulting stupor.

There were many lighter moments in the film, mostly supplied by Macon's eccentric siblings, but the loss of a child hung over the film like a pall, and was accentuated by Macon's inability to connect to his feelings, or the wider world as he passed through it.

There were some poignant moments in the film, when the camera revealed the otherwise masked feelings of some of the characters. There were also moments of deep frustration when it appeared that Macon was not going to make it out of his funk.

This turned out to be an emotional ride, and a story of growth through what has to be one of the most devastating events any parent can endure.