The Thomas Crown Affair Review
by Homer Yen (homer_yen AT yahoo DOT com)August 12th, 1999
“Thomas Crown” – An Affair to Remember
The summer is getting crueler everyday. As temperatures and humidity rise, it becomes tougher to find relief from the hot weather. Perhaps, our only salvation may be the local Cineplex where we can recline in a nice chair in a comfortably air conditioned theatre. But what is there to see? I don’t want to be mesmerized by swirling special effects. I don’t want to be sitting on the edge of my seat as fear courses through my body. I don’t want to watch a comedy. Just give me an old-fashioned story that’s clever and stylish. Just give me a film where the strength of the characters is what carries the film. Just give me a film that satisfies from beginning to end. Just give me “The Thomas Crown Affair.”
Cool, slick and fun to watch are how I would characterize this remake of the 1968 classic (then-starring Steve McQueen and Faye Dunaway). Here, we see the ever-suave Pierce Brosnan playing the millionaire/thief and the formidable Renee Russo as his adversary. Thomas Crown has got to be every woman’s (and probably a lot of men’s) fantasy. He’s rich, handsome, and put the ‘class’ in classic. Impeccably dressed and a shrewd businessman, he knows what he wants and has the means to get it. What can his money not buy? The answer is a priceless Monet painting that he so adores, which hangs at the heavily guarded museum. An elaborately engineered and extremely clever heist is pulled. The improbable theft brings Catherine Banning (Russo) to town. She works for the agency that insures the irreplaceable art piece. And if she can locate it, she’ll be rewarded with a $5 million finder’s fee. It doesn’t take too long before she is convinced that Crown is her man.
Crown is no wimp. He teases her, charms her, and practically dares her to find the painting. Banning is up to the task. She receives some help from the local police detective (a surprisingly terrific Dennis Leary), but for the most part, she employs her own brand of sex appeal and smarts to get the job done. Banning makes it very evident that she is quite confident in her abilities (and not just her investigative abilities). You’ll see her at a formal party dancing in a sheer black dress that shows that she doesn’t favor any sort of undergarments. And she’ll sunbathe in the nude without even thinking twice. Indeed, Banning is sexy, smart, and strong. It’s refreshing to see such a strong female character.
The screenwriters do a fine job of creating two wonderfully competitive characters, both of whom do what they can to stay one step of the other person. Both Brosnan and Russo have amazing screen presence. The balance of power swings back and forth like a pendulum, but the movie hums along as both Crown and Banning take immense satisfaction in the chase. An attraction develops and both find themselves faced with the ultimate challenge. Both want the Monet. Both want to keep each other. But you can’t win one without losing the other. Handsome to look at and fun to watch, “The Thomas Crown Affair” is the perfect summer escape.
Grade: B+
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Originally posted in the rec.arts.movies.reviews newsgroup. Copyright belongs to original author unless otherwise stated. We take no responsibilities nor do we endorse the contents of this review.
