A Hologram for the King

"The movie conjures no shortage of potent images, but push a bit deeper and your fist closes on empty air."

"It's hard to imagine a more Tom Hanks-y setup than this."

"It’s that rare fish-out-of-water story in which the fish miraculously manages to stop needing water, and learns to crave air instead."

"It takes an actor with the finesse of Tom Hanks to turn a story of confusion, perplexity, frustration and panic into an agreeably uncomfortable comedy."

"Tom Tykwer’s adaptation is a meandering mess of half-baked storylines that amount to little. Hanks’s affable presence keeps it all afloat."

"We leave the desert feeling parched."

"Hanks’ portrayal of a man caught between utter defeat and a yearning to begin again is pitch-perfect."

"If it sounds like Hologram is basically about a middle-aged white guy getting his groove back in the Middle East, well, yes, it is that. But if you squint hard enough, it’s also a little bit more."

"Pleasant but ultimately forgettable."