The Tuxedo
In “The Tuxedo,” Chan plays a taxi driver who is recruited to be the chauffeur of a secret agent. Desiring everything that his new boss is and possesses, Jimmy Tong (Chan) is amazed to learn that most of the credit goes to a two-billion high tech suit that allows the wearer to defy gravity, defeat bad guys, and even dance.
I like Chan, but I didn’t like “The Tuxedo,” an ill-fitted comedy that wastes his time and talent. Chan is noted for his comic timing and ability to perform breathtaking stunts, two things that director Kevin Donovan and a quartet of writers (maybe more?) fail to take advantage of.
Not much makes sense in “The Tuxedo,” a film that feels as if it was written by committee and directed for young children. Every plot point is handed to us with an apology. Except for Chan, who rises to the top of this silly mess like cream in coffee, the rest of the cast drown in their own excesses. Director Donovan doesn’t seem to realize that nuance is more than just a word in a dictionary.
The premise isn’t bad, just badly executed. The idea of a top secret suit that turns its wearer into a man for all occasions has promise, but it’s a promise the writers and director don’t keep. When the secret agent is sidelined, Tong slips on the suit and impersonates his boss. He is teamed up with a rookie agent, played by Jennifer Love Hewitt, to stop a madman from contaminating the world’s water supply.
Ironic plot point for a film that’s as dry as plasterboard. At this junction in his career, Chan will survive this fashion faux pas.
TUXEDO JUNCTION Director, script ill-suited for Chan’s comic timing
THE TUXEDO
Jackie Chan, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Jason Issacs. Ritchie Coster, Debi Mazar. Directed by Kevin Donovan. Rated PG-13. 99 Minutes.
LARSEN RATING: $3.00
