THE TOURIST
Stylish romantic-thriller fun best enjoyed at home.
Should You Watch It?
The Tourist offers polished, lightweight entertainment rather than a meaningful moral journey. Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie lead a stylish chase through Paris and Venice, with romance, international police, gangsters, and several twists. The ending is good and suspenseful, though the movie moves slowly at times.
The content is not graphic overall, and there is no explicit sex or nudity. Still, the film includes foul language, brief intense violence, sensual desire, smoking, alcohol use, and stealing, threats, and lying. Its main goal is getting the girl and the gold, not presenting a strong moral vision.
Theatrical viewers can wait; choose The Tourist at home if this kind of light suspense and romance appeals to you.
The Story
NO SPOILERS — WE KEEP THE SURPRISESIn Paris, French police and Scotland Yard follow Elise Ward as they try to capture her boyfriend, Alexander Pierce, who allegedly stole billions from an English gangster and failed to pay millions in taxes.
Alexander sends Elise instructions to make an American math teacher named Frank look like him. The pursuit moves from Paris to Venice, as police, gangsters, and international investigators close in. Several twists keep the cat-and-mouse story moving.
Is It Any Good?
Three stars means a moderately entertaining film with clear strengths and limitations. The Tourist is stylish and funny, and its suspenseful ending is very good. The romantic-thriller mixture gives the movie its lightweight appeal.
The film does move slowly at times, however. The source review also finds the similar Knight and Day more fun. This is polished diversion, not exceptional suspense filmmaking.
The Worldview
The film presents a pagan worldview with some moral elements. Its central goal is to get the girl and the gold, while the story also includes stealing, threats, lying, and other criminal behavior. The movie does not offer a particularly strong moral tale.
There is some sensual desire between the two lead characters, but nothing lewd is shown. The story's romantic pursuit and fascination with money provide entertainment, yet they do not amount to a biblical account of love, integrity, or treasure.
Scripture reminds us that what we value shapes us: “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21).
The Content Guide
The specifics — spoilers included by nature — so you can judge for your own family.
Content Summary
Light pagan worldview with some light moral elements; 10 obscenities and three light profanities; brief intense violence and some action violence such as henchmen shoot guns at hero running across roof, hero jumps off roof onto tarp covering vegetable and fruit stand, hero accidentally knocks policeman into water, villain runs boat over henchman’s head, shots fired at woman driving boat tied to another boat, men fight, man falls into water, villain strangles henchman to death for failing, villain threatens to cut up heroine’s face with knife, henchman points gun inches away at heroine’s head, men shot dead; no sex scenes but two passionate kisses and man decides against entering woman’s bedroom but there’s an implication he wants to and she wants him to; alcohol use and hero appears a bit tipsy in one scene; smoking; and, stealing, threats, lying.
Talk About It
Questions for the drive home, the dinner table, or the youth group.
The film makes getting the girl and the gold its central goal. What does Jesus say about the danger of storing up earthly treasure?
Matthew 6:19–21The characters use deception and false identities. Why does Scripture call Christians to speak truthfully?
Ephesians 4:25 · Colossians 3:9The movie includes romance and sensual desire without explicit sex. How can wisdom guide what we watch and what we allow to shape our desires?
Philippians 4:8 · 1 Thessalonians 4:3–5The story includes violence, threats, and criminal behavior. How should Christians think about entertainment that makes wrongdoing part of the fun?
Psalm 101:3 · Romans 12:9The Final Word
The Tourist is stylish, funny, and suspenseful, but its light romance and chase story come with foul language, violence, sensuality, and a weak moral center. For most viewers, WAIT FOR HOME is the sensible choice. For more family-friendly options, see.
