Tom Tykwer has had an interesting career to say the least. He broke out with his kinetic and original Run Lola Run, then dabbled in fairly forgettable studio movies (such as The International) before falling in with the Wachowskis. He co-directed the mega-expensive flop Cloud Atlas, and helmed episodes of Netflix's Sense8. But now he's back on the big screen with an adaptation of Dave Eggers' book, "A Hologram for the King", which may sound like another dip into the world of sci-fi and the surreal, resembles just another comedy set in the Middle East.
Looking a little too much like Whiskey Tango Foxtrot and Rock the Kasbah, the film stars Tom Hanks as a middle-aged businessman who goes to the Middle East to make a lucrative sale to the King. Of course it becomes about Hanks' character looking for meaning in a strange land, with his voiceover telling us “Sometimes you have to change your scenery… to change your life.”
Chances are Tykwer has something up his sleeve that will give the film some edge, but for now this looks pretty pedestrian, which may explain why it's opening on April 22nd rather than during the awards season as many predicted.
