Movie – Hologram for the King

This wins the award for the most entertaining trailer of the year, so the film is a must-see. It sets up the story of Alan Clay (Tom Hanks – the other reason it’s a must-see), divorced, father of 1, made an error that killed of his career and is now working for a tech company, about to get fired, unless he gets a King in Saudi Arabia to buy their product.It’s quirkier than that sounds.Tom Hanks is in every scene and effortlessly carries this film.Jet lagged Alan misses his alarm and therefore his lift and asks the hotel to supply him with a driver. This is the only irksome part of the film: the Hyatt – or whichever hotel it was (I should remember, it was mentioned every few minutes) would never send such a casual driver in a rackety car. Furthermore, no-one would forget to set the alarm on the second day – the first day is only just forgivable.I do, however, like the humour the guide/driver/hero character that takes Alan from his hotel to where the King is building a new city in order to make his sales presentation.I like the love interest too. This film probably has the most grown-up and sophisticated love scene I’ve seen in memory. I’m unsure of the strange dalliance with the European lady, mind.The culture clash clichés are in the film – because there are culture classes. He is desperate for a beer for one thing, as is any westerner that he meets working out there. And a few of the locals too but they know how to get ‘the good booze’.The other cliché is that people in the public sector think it’s OK to mess people around and change appointments at the last-minute. Good to know that may be the same in Saudi.8/10@RickieWrites