Knight and Day

Released June 23, 2010
Directed by James Mangold
Starring: Tom Cruise, Cameron Diaz, Peter Sarsgaard

First viewing June 23, 2010
Jolly: 3/5 stars

The best parts of this movie are in the trailers: the big action sequences, exotic locations, Tom Cruise doing stunts – all reasons to see the movie. What the trailers don’t show, and where this movie falls flat, is the plot.

Tom Cruise plays Roy Miller, a secret agent who has seemingly gone rogue and is being pursued by his bureau. Cameron Diaz plays June Havens, an average person who likes to restore old cars. Roy intentionally bumps into June in the airport on their way to Boston, for a reason revealed later on in the story. Peter Sarsgaard plays Fitzgerald, one of the agents pursuing Roy. Fitzgerald puts June intentionally on the same flight to Boston as Roy, which turns out to be a near-empty flight with only assassins on it. June starts to, for lack of a better term, fall in love with Roy, and tells him all about her dreams and “someday” plans (yawn). Roy inevitably kills all the assassins and lands the plane in a field, advising June to deny they ever met, and to avoid getting in cars with anybody (especially people who use the words “secure” and “safe”).

Of course, June does get into a car with these people the next day and Roy comes to her rescue. They go on the run and then the reason behind all this action and secret agent stuff comes out. Well, it seems that this whole story is about…wait for it…a battery. Yes, a battery. But this isn’t your average battery; this one is supposedly the next most powerful and sustaining energy source to the sun! So naturally people want to steal it and use it for evil. Come on people - a battery?

Anyways, the creator of the battery is an eccentric high school kid that Roy and Fitzgerald used to protect. Roy’s personal mission now is to protect this kid and clear his own name as someone trying to use the battery. OK, whatever.

Overall, the story does not drive the action. Even the character back stories seem like second-thought to the action. Even though Tom Cruise tries to save the film with his macho-action-awesomeness (you can’t deny after watching this movie that Cruise still has his magic), the story drags everything down. Speaking of dragging everything down, I would like to now discuss the female lead…

Cameron Diaz is unfortunately past her prime for this type of role. She is no longer the blonde bombshell from The Mask, and doesn’t deliver the action like Charlie’s Angels. Cameron’s sun-damaged face is almost too much to handle on the big screen for over an hour. I avoid criticizing the appearance of actresses (except when it comes to the walking ironing board Keira Kightley – there are no limits!), but I really felt that this role should have been for someone more youthful looking. I think Keri Russell would have been perfect for this – are you listening to me Hollywood!?!?

So, in conclusion, Knight and Day felt like an excuse for an action movie instead of a movie with action.

P.S. Do not recommend this movie but do recommend Knight & Day Restaurant, especially their Sunday breakfast buffet.