The Tailor of Panama teeters from drama to farce to thriller to delicious black comedy, and delivers on all fronts.
The Tailor of Panama (2001)
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work ![]()
Reviews Counted:111
Fresh:86
Rotten:25
Average Rating:6.8/10
Consensus: A smart and satrical thriller with an engaging cast.
Runtime: 1 hr 49 mins
Genre: Dramas
Synopsis: Pierce Brosnan stars as the anti-Bond in maverick director John Boorman's adaptation of legendary spy novelist John le Carre's seamy tour of post-Noriega Panama. A British intelligence agent whose... Pierce Brosnan stars as the anti-Bond in maverick director John Boorman's adaptation of legendary spy novelist John le Carre's seamy tour of post-Noriega Panama. A British intelligence agent whose taste for gambling and other men's wives has put him on the wrong side of his bosses at MI6, Andy Osnard (Brosnan) is posted to the backwater of Panama to atone for his sins. To that end, he recruits upscale tailor Harry Pendel (Geoffrey Rush), leveraging the man's financial problems and questionable past to gain access to information about the activities of his elite clientele. Meanwhile, Osnard remains true to form, recruiting the personal services of lovely embassy official Francesca (Catherine McCormack), and attempting the same with Harry's wife, Louisa (Jamie Lee Curtis). When Harry's best friend Micki (Brendan Gleeson), a former member of the anti-Noriega underground, now a broken man, begins blustering about politics in front of Osnard, both of these con men begin to see him as the solution to their problems. The mundane tragedy of espionage familiar to le Carre's Cold Warriors has been replaced by farce with the collapse of the Soviet Union. Boorman creates an atmosphere redolent with U.S.-abetted corruption in this well written and acted film, which also features playwright Harold Pinter in a cameo role. [More]
Starring: Geoffrey Rush, Pierce Brosnan, Jamie Lee Curtis, Brendan Gleeson
Starring: Geoffrey Rush, Pierce Brosnan, Jamie Lee Curtis, Brendan Gleeson, David Hayman, Catherine McCormack, Harold Pinter, Leonor Valera, Dylan Baker, Daniel Radcliffe
Director: John Boorman
Director: John Boorman
Screenwriter: Andrew Davies, John Boorman
Studio: Columbia Pictures
Reviews for The Tailor of Panama
Many spy capers lose their intended irony and wry black humor, but The Tailor of Panama stays stylishly on target in ways that would put a heat-seeking missile to shame.
A clever, consistently engaging thriller with complex characters who struggle with various alterations of the truth.
A cut above the preposterous action spectacles that now pass for espionage films...
Despite a dissatisfying conclusion, a sense that things don't completely jell, The Tailor of Panama is lively and provocative.
In the midst of that fascinating, sad setting, Panama gives us great characters.
A sophisticated, subtle adult entertainment that is also a compliment to the audience.
If the film's emotions are not always in balance, its clumsiness is also part of the fun.
What's most unnerving about The Tailor of Panama is the film's overall tone, which wavers uncomfortably between modest thrills and modest farce.
Those expecting a Bond-like thriller may be disappointed, but this deviously witty diversion deserves to be appreciated for what it is.
Overambition is a rarity in spy thrillers nowadays. If The Tailor of Panama doesn't quite gel, the attempt is still worth savoring.
If it wasn't for the extraordinary acting by Rush, Curtis, and especially Brosnan, it wouldn't have been as nearly as entertaining.
In a world full of off the rack thrillers, it's fine boutique quality.
Stylish, sly and sophisticated, a classy adult film redolent of that satirical spy spoof Our Man in Havana.
In a period devoted to digital spectacle, it's almost a shock to come across a film grounded in complex characterizations, subtle plot twists and deep moral ambiguity.
More DVDs
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 36% 36% | Angels & Demons |
| 25% 25% | Four Christmases |
| 68% 68% | Funny People |
| 95% 95% | Star Trek |
| 14% 14% | The Ugly Truth |
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 83% 83% | Harry Potter and the H… |
| 67% 67% | Public Enemies |
| 75% 75% | Julie & Julia |
| 95% 95% | The Cove |
| 85% 85% | World's Greatest Dad |
What’s Hot On RT
Other News
Sponsored Links
Around The Network
- The Tailor of Panama at Rotten Tomatoes
- The Tailor of Panama at IGN
- The Tailor of Panama at AskMen
Fresh Links
Featured

Subscribe to RT's YouTube channel and don't miss a second of our cracking video content.

Follow Rotten Tomatoes and join us as we tweet about the week's releases.



Top Critic

