Search - Tempo on DVD

More to the story than first viewing reveals

Grady Harp | Los Angeles, CA United States | 07/13/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"TEMPO is an odd sort of film. It seems to be caught up in camera tricks, rapid sequence photography, and in search of a story to follow. Sarah (Melanie Griffith) is a middle-aged, beautiful lady who lives high in Paris with a 'kept lover' Jack (Hugh Dancy) and supports her lifestyle by being a runner for the black market transportation of antique bric-a-brac, a life of crime she shares with Jack. Her past is cloaked in mystery, but she seems to hide some deep pains by her co-habitation with the young and handsome Jack. While off on what appears to be a routine "job" in Munich, Jack meets and flips for a very young girl Jenny (Rachel Leigh Cook) sent to Paris by her wealthy family to 'get her out of their hair'. She works in a classy Parisian jewelry shop and has all the rights of a trusted shop girl. The two carry on a steamy encounter until Sarah returns unexpectedly from a botched 'job', desperate and on the run to find money to resolve a shady dealing. It is at this point that the film becomes poignant, not because of the speed of the resolution of the story of how the money is obtained, but because of Sarah's being forced to face the fact that her young lover has found another younger mate. In her search of resolution we are allowed to learn Sarah's sad background and how she came to be in the state in which she finds herself - an aging woman with a past, in dire need for a real love. Melanie Griffith does a fine job finding this vulnerable state and it is her interaction with Dancy and Cook that makes this little mystery/chase movie worthwhile. There are other good performances (including Malcolm McDowell) and the 'tempo' of direction by Eric Styles is full fast forward most of the time. Worthy of your time, more as a character study than an action flick."

2 Stars Merely for Mr. Dancy

Spangdangular | Nowheresville, DE | 12/04/2004

(2 out of 5 stars)

"This movie is so weak I can barely explain how it has damaged me. It seems to rest somewhere between mainstream and indie styles, but in either genre it is a hollow movie. The only good thing about this movie is Hugh Dancy. I love him as an actor (and it doesn't hurt that he's attractive), but I am horribly disappointed in his choice to participate in this film. Bad Hugh. Slap on the wrist and let's all move on, okay? If you need me I'll be in my room, crouched in the fetal position and whimpering softly to myself. Need.....developed.....script.....NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Hugh Dancy saves the movie

Plain Jane | Fargo, ND | 08/11/2007

(2 out of 5 stars)

"This movie was really bad. The story seemed to be thrown together. The dialogue was not believable. The characters were underdeveloped. Melanie Griffith was terrible, Rachel Leigh Cook was terrible. The only worthwhile quality this movie had can be summed up in three little words: Hugh Dancy Naked. He's the most believable actor in this movie. He really does all a person can do with such awful dialogue, but this isn't his best performance. If you're not a Hugh Dancy fan, don't waste your time with this movie."

TEMPO SKIPS A BEAT

Michael Butts | Martinsburg, WV USA | 01/12/2006

(2 out of 5 stars)

"In this derivative, limp made for Canadian TV movie, Melanie Griffith stumbled through the role of a glitzy "courier" for obviously illegal products. She has a younger live-in stud (Hugh Dancy in a weak performance) and is sent on a secretive mission by Malcolm McDowell (he pops up in almost anything these days). Melanie also has a sleazy additional boss (played with absent malice by Art Malik) who screws up the McDowell deal and then demands eighty thousand dollars for the effort. Along comes lovely Rachael Leigh Cook (who deserves better than this) who suddenly becomes the true love of Dancy's miserable life. Dancy is such a spineless cad one can hardly feel sympathy for the miss the three of them end up in. It's all been done before and much much better. TEMPO is a composition without any heart."