2016 * R * 1h 38m I don't think Tom Hanks has ever made a mediocre movie. When This one popped up as a rec on Kanopy, I immediately put it in my queue. I finally got around to watching it and I wasn't disappointed. It wasn't great, but it was quite entertaining. I thought the plot was a bit rambling and didn't know quite where to go. But I thinks that's half the charm of this little indie flick.
Alan (Hanks) is a bit down on his luck. He has a daughter who's taking a break from college because he's running a bit low on money. So he takes a job as an IT sales rep and goes to Saudi Arabia to sell a new presentation software program to the King. While there, he runs into a couple characters who are destined to change his life. The first is his driver Yousef (Omar Elba) who's a fun-loving, wacky guy, who gets him involved in all sorts of adventures. Then there's the beautiful doctor Zahra (Sarita Choudhury) who he goes to for a medical problem.
While all this is happening, he and his team are constantly being blown off by their Saudi point man. As I mentioned, the plot is all over the map, but ultimately, I thought it was a fun ride. The film is based on the book by Dave Eggers, best know for his novel "A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius". If you haven't read this breakthrough book, I highly recommend it.
3 1/2 out of 5 stars.
Currently streaming for free on Kanopy and Hoopla (with your library card, and the Roku Channel. And to rent on Apple TV, YouTube, and Prime.
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