Jackie Chan described his role in the movie “The Tuxedo,” as that of an “ordinary person.”
He said he is just “a taxi driver who becomes a kind of super spy because of a tuxedo that lets him do all kinds of special things.”
Yes, it is as bad as it sounds.
The movie opens with Jimmy Tong, played by Chan, driving a taxi recklessly, yet expeditiously, through busy city streets. Apparently, it was a wonderful exhibition of his driving skills because it lands him a job with the wealthy industrialist/undercover CSA agent, Clark Delvin.
They quickly bond with one another, but the friendship is disrupted when Delvin is hurt in an “accident.”
In a dramatic moment, while waiting for the ambulance, Delvin gives Tong information and tells him to put on his prized tuxedo. These instructions, and the state-of-the-art tuxedo, result in Tong spending much of the film assuming Delvin’s identity.
Although Chan begins the movie as an ordinary character, once he puts on the tuxedo he assumes his regular karate-kicking persona. Chan does a bang up job as usual, doing the moves that only Jackie Chan can do. The direction and production of the movie are also acceptable.
The problem is the script. The plot progresses a little slowly at times and the story line is mediocre at best. Perhaps the biggest problem was the choice of Chan’s costar.
When it comes to acting, Jennifer Love Hewitt gets two thumbs down. If Chan had a different partner the movie would have been better.
Hewitt attempts to display the antics and comedy that former co-star Tucker has in his previous roles with Chan, but she fails miserably.
The movie follows a low-budget, stereotypical Bond-like sequence of events and has a typical Bond-like ending. This was mixed with some “Jackie Chan karate” and lots of bad acting.
“The Tuxedo” offers nothing new or exciting. The best part of the movie is the bloopers at the end and a cameo by James Brown.
Feel free to sleep through the first 94 minutes and wake up during the last five while they roll the credits and show the outtakes.