Quiet American, The
There's something not entirely convincing about "The Quiet American." And that holds true for both the movie and the title character played by Brendan Fraser.While Fraser can be convincing in dramatic roles — he's proved he does have an acting range in such films as "Gods and Monsters" and "With Honors" — it's primarily his casting that undoes this latest version of Graham Greene's novel.
The role Fraser plays here — a possibly shady American, Alden Pyle — requires an actor who can convey an air of moral ambiguity. Instead, Fraser plays it rather straight, with very little shades of gray. The result is an underwhelming performance that detracts from the movie, despite a very good lead performance by the film's real star, Michael Caine.
Caine plays Thomas Fowler, a British journalist working in Vietnam in the early '50s. He is married but is carrying on an affair with Phuong (Do Thi Hai Yen), a beautiful and much younger taxi dancer. Enter Pyle (Fraser), a young American who claims to be working on aid programs for the Southeast Asian country, which is already being torn apart by civil and political unrest.
The naturally charming Pyle takes a shine to Phuong, offering her the possibility of a future outside her country — something that looks impossible with her much older, married lover.
Director Phillip Noyce has excelled with this sort of material before (his two biggest hits are the thrillers "Clear and Present Danger" and "Patriot Games"). But the flawed flashback narrative style really undercuts the sense of drama and suspense.
Fortunately, he does have Caine, who makes Fowler's uncertainty about Pyle and his moral "heartburn" over his uncertain future with Phuong believable — even though his co-stars don't always make that easy.
Which is not to say Fraser's performance is awful — it's just too one-dimensional. That's also a problem with newcomer Yen, who is too bland as the woman in the middle.
"The Quiet American" is rated R for war violence (gunfire and explosive mayhem), scattered use of strong profanity, brief sexual contact, a brief scene depicting drug use (opium smoked) and brief gore. Running time: 118 minutes.
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