Jason Patric plays Harry Donovan, a talented painter whose original work won't sell. However, he flourishes in another way because he has an uncanny knack for reproducing paintings by legendary names. He buys trouble for himself when he agrees to be part of a scheme to sell a "Rembrandt". For his time and efforts, he will earn a cool $500,000. But his partners turn out to be classically shady individuals, and, with a noted art expert (sexy, enchanting French actress Irene Jacob) in tow, he must go on the run when framed for a killing.
"Incognito" is more genuinely interesting in its first half, although it may appeal more to art lovers and art students than a general audience. It IS fascinating to see Harry make tons of preparations for his "masterpiece", including buying rare materials, and then make his art. The film makes great use of its European locations, and is overall pretty entertaining. This viewer wouldn't quite say that it goes off the rails when Harry & Marieke go on the lam and the story turns more conventional, but it sure becomes a lot more familiar.
At the time, this was something of a change of pace for noted filmmaker John Badham (in his final feature project to date), as he'd made mainstream action movies and action-comedies his specialty for approximately a decade and a half. But he makes this material reasonably engrossing, and it's also well sold by an excellent European cast including such names as Thomas Lockyer, Ian Richardson, Simon Chandler, Pip Torrens, Michael Cochrane, and Togo Igawa. Rod Steiger puts in an engaging special appearance as Harry's father, a fellow painter who's disappointed that his son basically wastes his talents. Ian Holm appears uncredited as John. Patric is good in the lead role, but his character may be a matter of taste for viewers: he behaves like a true in-it-for-the-money mercenary, and is not terribly likeable himself. He does have some very amusing dialogue, nonetheless.
All in all, this is a decent combination of travelogue, art discussion / dissection, thriller, and courtroom drama elements. The ending leaves the audience with some sense of satisfaction given the fates of certain individuals.
Six out of 10.
"Incognito" is more genuinely interesting in its first half, although it may appeal more to art lovers and art students than a general audience. It IS fascinating to see Harry make tons of preparations for his "masterpiece", including buying rare materials, and then make his art. The film makes great use of its European locations, and is overall pretty entertaining. This viewer wouldn't quite say that it goes off the rails when Harry & Marieke go on the lam and the story turns more conventional, but it sure becomes a lot more familiar.
At the time, this was something of a change of pace for noted filmmaker John Badham (in his final feature project to date), as he'd made mainstream action movies and action-comedies his specialty for approximately a decade and a half. But he makes this material reasonably engrossing, and it's also well sold by an excellent European cast including such names as Thomas Lockyer, Ian Richardson, Simon Chandler, Pip Torrens, Michael Cochrane, and Togo Igawa. Rod Steiger puts in an engaging special appearance as Harry's father, a fellow painter who's disappointed that his son basically wastes his talents. Ian Holm appears uncredited as John. Patric is good in the lead role, but his character may be a matter of taste for viewers: he behaves like a true in-it-for-the-money mercenary, and is not terribly likeable himself. He does have some very amusing dialogue, nonetheless.
All in all, this is a decent combination of travelogue, art discussion / dissection, thriller, and courtroom drama elements. The ending leaves the audience with some sense of satisfaction given the fates of certain individuals.
Six out of 10.