Knight and Day

wogma rating: Watch but no rush (?)

quick review:

Please to note Knight and Day is one Quentin Tarantino’s top 20 films from 2010. As soon as that caught my eye, I decided to watch the film again (because the first time around it did nothing for me) – and I realized that maybe I was closing my eyes to the easy fun that this film proves to be. Hypocritical and narrow as that may be, it got me to realize that we might be just be too uptight towards film that are just breezy and fun and we end up being ignorant and accepting of genuine brain-dumbers.

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Director: James Mangold
Running time: 109 minutes
Genres: Action, Comedy
More Movie Info

Leave your brains at home, is a phrase I detest. Unfortunately, I keep hearing it with regard to the many illogical films that have been resurfacing off late. As much as I wanted to make my protest loud and clear, I realized it might just be a bit premature. We all have our brainless entertainers, only assuming the term brainless means different things to different people - precisely why I thoroughly enjoyed the slick, pointless yet charming Knight and Day.

In Knight and Day, Tom Cruise plays Roy Miller, a CIA agent on a mission. He meets June Havens, your average neighborhood girl (assuming all average neighborhood girls look like Cameron Diaz) at the Boston Airport, and while he uses her as a mule to carry an important device, here they begin their adventure. He whisks her from Boston to Brooklyn to the Caribbean and to Austria, now that she’s involved in the mission, and they fight out the mafia, FBI and miscellaneous villains.

It’s a typical Tom Cruise film – and you’ve got to love it. While the film gathered more or less negative reviews, it got me thinking – since when did Tom Cruise films go out of fashion? He’s stylish, easy to please, and his charismatic presence makes you forget about logic and relevance. But who’s complaining?

We jump from state to state, and mingle between their flirty-ness (which is admittedly a little damp between Diaz and Cruise). Each escapade later, Roy comes back for June, saves her from perennially being under the radar, and we find ourselves falling for him again. How can you not? Even Diaz, with her wide-eyed feminine glow makes you smile.

Well, maybe if you find yourself feeling indifferent to the overt charm that this film oozes, its flaws will stare you in the eye. For example, no character apart from these two seems developed. There’s tons of pointless action, superhero moves on Cruise's part (hey, I’m trying to be neutral here) and most of all, every plot point in the film is guided by some illogical band-aid move to throw it forward. For example, you’ll notice in every tough situation, Miller will suddenly drug June, so she can escape having to face the situation. Cut to, June opening her eyes at home next day and we aren’t told how the situation was handled.

The DVD has some fascinating extras – and hold your breath – it’s called “Wilder Knights and Crazier Days”. Some rib-tickling interviews with Cruise and Diaz, followed by on-screen bloopers and also a look into some of the stunts that Cruise and Diaz did themselves. The latter is an interesting watch, as we watch Diaz take on a car stunt for the first time, while Cruise, who’s known for doing his stunts by himself, breezes through. It only makes the film that much more believable and fun.

Director James Mangold (of Walk the Line fame) seems to have his agenda straightened out. Knight and Day has a great looking pair, some crazy (flirtatious and charming) dialogue, theatrical action sequences and just charm, charm everywhere. The adventures are dramatic, over the top and ridiculously comical – in a good way (also depends on how you chose to see it). If you’re in the mood for it, Knight and Day will give you exactly what you want. It’s a genre that brings nothing more or less to the table – question the flaws, but enjoy it nonetheless.

This review is by guest reviewer Swetha Ramakrishnan. Swetha Ramakrishnan is currently living and working in Mumbai. She's a self-confessed film enthusiast and can most likely be found talking to anyone and everyone about popular cinema and her love for SRK. Swetha Ramakrishnan also blogs at http://swetharamakrishnan.blogspot.com/.

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This page has additional observations, other than the ones noted in the main review.

Parental Guidance:

  • Violence: None, only slick action
  • Language: Nothing out of the blue
  • Nudity & Sexual content: Only talk of sex, and one kiss
  • Concept: A CIA agent on a mission, and a civilian (girl) gets involved in the mess
  • General Look and Feel: Fast-paced, almost like a video game with some charm thrown in

Detailed Ratings (out of 5):

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Knight and Day - Cast, crew, links

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Running time:
109 minutes
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Country:
USA
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