Nicholas Meyer is a good writer as shown in the many screen plays, and novels, he has given us. As a director, he has had some success and failures, as it's the case of his "Company Business", which he wrote for the screen and directed.
The film has a fatal casting problem in Mikhail Barysnikov, who was a great dancer, but alas, as an actor, one would advise him to stick to his day job. As a result, the film never achieves the momentum that is hinted at the start.
Gene Hackman, a superb actor, doesn't do as well under Mr. Meyer's direction. As a matter of fact, he appears to be too old for the part and there is no chemistry between him and Mr. Barysnikov, making the film drag. The others in the cast do what they can, but nothing can save this movie.
On the plus side, we are taken to interesting locales, but by the time we arrive at those destinations we couldn't care less where we are, or if it's Friday, we must be in taking a tour of the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
The film has a fatal casting problem in Mikhail Barysnikov, who was a great dancer, but alas, as an actor, one would advise him to stick to his day job. As a result, the film never achieves the momentum that is hinted at the start.
Gene Hackman, a superb actor, doesn't do as well under Mr. Meyer's direction. As a matter of fact, he appears to be too old for the part and there is no chemistry between him and Mr. Barysnikov, making the film drag. The others in the cast do what they can, but nothing can save this movie.
On the plus side, we are taken to interesting locales, but by the time we arrive at those destinations we couldn't care less where we are, or if it's Friday, we must be in taking a tour of the Eiffel Tower in Paris.