The Man Who Knew Too Little Movie Review 1997

Wallace (Murray), a video store clerk from Iowa, travels to London in order to surprise his yuppie brother James (Gallagher) on his birthday. James is hosting an important dinner party, however, so he sends his less than upper-crusty brother to the Theater of Life, where the patrons take part in scenes with actors in real-life settings. Unbeknownst to Wallace, the designated call to start the play is intended for a real hit man, and he is thrown into a plot to rekindle the Cold War. Totally oblivious to the danger he is in, he treats every threat and tense situation with a sly smile and a smart-aleck remark. Joanne Whalley is the call girl/spy who turns into the sidekick/love interest. Although it's mainly a stretched out one-joke premise, that joke is delivered by comedy maestro Bill Murray. If you like his previous work, you'll love him as he messes with snooty Europeans. If you don't, seek professional help immediately.

Distribution

Warner Home Video, Inc., 5775 Linder Canyon Rd., Westlake Village, CA 91362, URL: http://whv.warnerbros.com, Remarks: Does not handle retail queries from consumers; contact your local video distributor.

Available on VHS, DVD
Running time 94 minutes.

Cast and Crew

Genres

Genre Spoofs, Great Britain, Hit Men/Women, Foreign Intrigue, London, Mistaken Identity, Cold War Spies, Terrorism, Oldest Profession

Screenplay

Howard Franklin, Robert Harrar

Cast

Bill Murray, Peter Gallagher, Joanne Whalley, Alfred Molina, Richard Wilson, Geraldine James, John Standing, Anna Chancellor, Nicholas Woodeson, Simon Chandler

Cinematography

Robert Stevens

Director

Jon Amiel

Music

Chris Young