Alan Clay is a loser. The former Schwinn executive oversaw the moving of its production of bicycles to China to keep the firm afloat. The Chinese not only made the bicycles for pennies on the dollar, but repainted and rebranded additional bikes which they sold deeply discounted.
Clay (Tom Hanks) loses everything. His home and marriage are gone. His daughter’s college plans are on hold pending a turnabout in his career. He is determined to forge ahead.
A new holographic conferencing program has been developed. Clay is assigned to sell the idea to the King of Saudi Arabia as a method of having a virtual imaging at his disposal. The problem is that the curtail Saudis never show up for their appointments. Transportation from his hotel to the outlying sheik palaces is by means of an ancient taxi driven by Youse (Alexander Black) who provides comic relief.
Romance blossoms when Clay meets a woman doctor Zahra (Sarita Choudhury). It nicely fills in the low spots in the script.
Even when everything seems to be going right for Clay, the bottom falls out. Clay is still not in the dumps. Who knows? He might end up selling condos or beachfront properties in the Emirates.
Hanks is again the quintessential actor of our day. He doesn’t disappoint.
Yes, the whole theme is quirky, but that’s OK. I like films that way.
“A Hologram For The King” is currently showing at the Rialto Theater in The Villages.
Jack Petro reviews movies for Villages-News.com