The Tourist (2022–2024) User Reviews

Fargo meets Last Stop Larramah

[cityeast222 · 8/10 · 11 March 2024]

The Australian Outback is another world..lonely, desolate and mind-numbing.

So when a sophisticated Irishman wakes up with no memory of who he is or his past, the endless expanse ironically imprisons him together with the locals who are either naive and innocent or who know more about his past.

Even the secondary characters highlight what living and working in such remote isolation can do to the human psyche..it's hard not to go crazy from nothing to do and nothing to see.

The landscape itself is a key character...passive and active at the same time.

But it has all the ingredients of an Australian mystery..dark, raw, and the right dose of dry humour.

Simple and great!

[marianajimenezc · 8/10 · 23 February 2024]

I avoided watching this because i felt i had bigger expectations for it than deserved but it proved me wrong. The Tourist is the story of man trying to rediscover who he is after losing all of his memories due to a car crash. It is well executed, you get invested and root for the good of the main character even if it seems disaster follows him for a reason.

You get to know pieces of every character's stories trying to understand how everything fits together and the humor is great, it is almost as if the absurd was another character playing a crucial part in the story.

The scenes felt complete you truly dive into these remote places and the people living there. There are things/characters to hate which is an accomplishment on its own as it gives a more realistic experience despite the obviously fictional.

It's a short and fairly simple story that truly manages to do exactly what you would expect in terms of quality, the acting is also perfect for the story and very well done. If you are a binge watcher it is the perfect sunday evening mini series to enjoy.

Worth the Time

[LongTimeMovieLover · 7/10 · 26 February 2024]

Everyone's giving Danielle Macdonald rave reviews, which she deserves, playing with a sweet naivety. But, to me, Ólafur Darri Ólafsson steals every scene he's in. He's low key, ominous and creepy at the same time.

I can't say that that this series is great, but it's worth the time devoted to the series and it keeps you interested through the series set. Not all series are worth the investment, but this one is. A man get amnesia and people are trying to kill him and he does not know why. The audience learns who he is in real time with him. It's a collage of a few different movies, but it's well done.

Somewhat disappointing sequel to Season 1

[PeterGaskell · 6/10 · 12 January 2024]

PROS of Season 2

The setting - amnesiac Elliot on quest to find his identity with his love interest Helen get caught up in a violent feud between Irish crime gangs

The twist - a revelation when all surviving characters have assembled to resolve long-standing feud, as mutually-assured destruction seems to be the inevitable outcome

Characterisation - clear and good mix of characters well-intentioned, villainous, familial & comedic

Humorous moments contrasted well with dark themes, particularly involving Ethan

CONS

Plausibility - e.g Elliot running down road to escape chasing kidnappers in van when he could have fled into open country, box of love letters Niamh buries when she should have destroyed or secured them in a bank if she didn't want anyone to find them

Pace and Dialogue were leaden at times, particularly in Helen's kidnap scenes and her coma dream sequence

Confusing historical references to encounters between McDonnell and Cassidy families e.g who was the original Elliot Stanley who spent £1 million on a bottle of whiskey to negotiate a truce with Frank on a boat, a Cassidy one presumes if Frank slit his throat?

Niamh's reference to a dead uncle

Name confusion - who gave the protagonist Eugene the name Elliot after Elliot Stanley and why? Why give Helen's ex-partner Ethan a name too similar to Eugene and Elliot?

Conclusion - Season 2 not as gripping as Season 1. Spoiler alert - seeing Eugene's file showing his history as a secret agent I guess is the marker for Season 3.

Entertaining

[Rob1331 · 9/10 · 25 February 2024]

I found that The Tourist is even more entertaining than people were saying it was. The Tourists follows an unnamed man (Jaime Dornan) who loses his memory after a car accident. We literally know nothing about him or the story. He wakes up in a hospital with no memory of who he was or what he did. All he has is a note to go to a diner at a specific time but as soon as he leaves the hospital there are people trying to kill him. From there he needs to find out who he is and what he did for people to want to kill him before it's too late. Jaime Dornan looks like he's on the verge of becoming a pretty big star. There are only two seasons at only six episodes apiece so it's an easy binge.

I think some people are missing the point.

[neil-3-696238 · 7/10 · 10 January 2022]

I saw so many bad reviews about this. I thought it was quite good. Take it for what it is. A dark comedy. Lots of people get killed. Daft plot twists. It isn't a serious drama. If you take for what it is, it is quite fun.

Starts a little slow but picks up in a hurry

[Supermanfan-13 · 9/10 · 25 February 2024]

I've noticed that The Tourist has been on Netflix's Top 10 since it came out earlier this year. The first season originally came out in the U. K. in 2022 where it was the most watched show of the year there too. I finally got around to watching it and have to say I really enjoyed it. It does start a little slow in the first episode so you might feel like giving up but don't, stick with it because it's worth it. It really picks up about midway through the second episode. All the actors give really good performances, especially Jamie Dornan. They really pull you into their world to the point where you really start to care about their characters and what happens to them. I really couldn't wait to find out more and more about Dornan's identity.

endearing Danielle Macdonald

[SnoopyStyle · 7/10 · 12 January 2022]

A man (Jamie Dornan) is run off the road by a tanker truck in the Australian outback. He wakes up in the hospital with full blown amnesia. He doesn't even know his name. New cop Helen Chambers (Danielle Macdonald) doggedly investigates.

Jamie Dornan may be the big name of this series, but it's Danielle Macdonald that I find more compelling. She has a great sweetness to her acting. She's basically the cop in Fargo except not pregnant. This show does try to do some comedy mostly through characters like Ethan. It is not my favorite aspect of the show. This lasted two seasons with specific stories for each.

Great Show

[syxckgzrr · 10/10 · 9 March 2024]

This series checks all the boxes. It's funny, the plot is exciting, intriguing, and well written. It was heart warming, wonderfully well written, set in beautiful locations and the actors are all extraordinary. I could not stop watching it once I had started. I was hooked from the beginning. Not wanting to watch it straight through because, I had chores I needed to do, I paused it continuously. The characters are superbly well rounded and brought to life with a most compellingly and believable acting cast. It was delightfully surprising, well crafted and the plot exciting at every turn. I hold heartedly recommend it for the whole family except the very young.

Intriguing outback thriller that draws you in and holds you till the end

[JRB-NorthernSoul · 6/10 · 2 January 2022]

An Australian set and shot thriller from the Williams brothers, (Liar, The Missing, Baptiste etc.) with the excellent Jamie Dornan.

Feels like they've taken the first series of Fargo and rewritten it in the Outback, which is fine by me as I loved Fargo. Production values are excellent and its well made all round and very smartly written.

I loved the attention to detail with the minor characters and their quirks and back stories, the inclusion of Iceland's best known actor Ólafur Darri as a mysterious pursuer is one of many imaginative supporting cast decisions.

There's much to like here for patient viewers looking for something smart and a bit different. A definite winner. I stayed till the end and it had a satisfying pay-off that I didn't see coming.

Loved both seasons

[catrine-48845 · 10/10 · 5 March 2024]

I didn't know what to expect with this series so I decided to watch season one and I'm so glad I did. It was surprisingly better than expected. I love the lead actor , Jamie Dornan. It starts off with a truck running him off the road and wakes up with amnesia. The story goes in there, trying to figure out who's trying to kill him and why. He meets up with the police woman, Danielle McDonald, and she tries to help him find out who he is.

The second season is a little less violent. It definitely has much more comedy. I really enjoyed Helen's ex-boyfriend. It put a lot of humor into the series. There are a lot of twist and turns throughout both seasons, and they're only six episodes each. It does leave an opening for another season, which I will definitely be watching.

There's not much on lately, and this was surprisingly one of the better shows. Give it a shot because it starts out a little slow, but it will pick up and you will want more and more.

Edgy indie feel but too much leeway

[OneAnjel · 6/10 · 23 February 2024]

This is regarding S1 since S2 isn't actually released yet. Not sure why I'm seeing reviews for it. It was a bit hard getting through E1 with a big event then not much. The intro of Helen made it feel poorly acted initially. The last minutes of E1 make me check out E2. 3 & 4 were also good and keep dropping breadcrumbs. There was some interesting clues and situations. But E5 & 6 took too much artistic leeway. I appreciated the conceptualization for the flashbacks but it was such a different mood. 6 also veered from the quirky gritty story somewhat.

The high praise for Danielle in the reviews seems suspect but maybe she's a big star in Australia. I found it hard to like her initially (Helen). Her character makes sense but it's just really over the top with the sappy personality and apologetic expressions as well as trying to make their point about low self esteem and the definition of beauty. It seems almost comical. It just didn't feel authentic. I mean, at least with Drop Dead Diva we knew it was a fantasy.

There is some humor here but it's not enough to add comedy to the genre. People saying it's like Fargo have seen too few dark comedies - it's nothing like Fargo. Momento maybe.

I assume they circle back in S2 to clear up how Elliot could be an accountant and also a drug cartel. But I'm not sure I'll be watching. I loved the first few episodes but with 5 & 6 i started just hoping it would end. I also dislike the idea of Helen and Elliot being a couple. I like them as the involuntary friends who find a camaraderie.

Illogical twists of script and unconvincing acting

[jfbrosschot-39127 · 4/10 · 28 February 2023]

A mix of elements reminiscent of Bourne, Duel, Breaking Bad, Twin Peaks and a lot more, but merely bleak echoes, meagre acting, the scene timings do not correspond well with each other, the script is is full of illogical twists, the characters are monotonous (the main character's painful expression is nearly the same through 6 episodes) and not convincing (e.g. Talking as if sitting cozily a quiet lounge while actually bleeding to death), and often the figures are standing still in the middle of a crucial action scene (e.g. End 5th start 6th episodes) as if they don't know their text or wait for the others to do something. Very weird. The 1st 2 episodes were at least interesting enough to watch and made me curious, but the rest was a waist of time. Several of the reviewers speak of comedy. This bewilders me. Comedy? Am I reviewing a different series? I don't think it's a comedy, nor do I think the director meant it to be one. Or were all the bad and weak parts that I noticed meant as... jokes? Well, in that case I apparently didn't get it.

Good but flawed

[mariopilloni · 6/10 · 6 January 2024]

Season 1 was good. Season 2 is stupid. Show's good, entertaining but flawed. I think the character of Helen was hugely miscast. Danielle Macdonald was tolerable in season 1 but she spoiled season 2. She's just not that strong of an actress. She's irritating and she can't deliver the dialogue effectively given to her. She can't show any expression beyond an "I'm constipated" look. I know it's meant to have a comedic tone but there are too many unlikely scenarios which occur. Season 2 is hugely muddled and confused. It's a shame because it's a good premise and Season 1 was flawed but enjoyable. Season 2 spoiled it.

OUTSTANDING....And Unexpected....OUTSTANDING!

[captainmanic · 10/10 · 9 March 2024]

Right Proper Drama, written by professionals and enacted by Masters.

In some places.... SO SIMPLE....but with a backstory so complicated, it sucks you in and keeps you guessing.

Ironically Hollywood figured out a formula for just enough drama, just enough attention, just enough predictability mixed with surprise....in a ratio....that average pulp fiction gets churned out daily.

This is different.

This is.... ART.

Proper Communication and Delivery is INSANELY hard.

Most TV and Movies are just trash.....the Tourist delivers excellence on many many fronts.

There are scenes that deliver impact WITHOUT words....

that's not easy to do. That's art.

starts slow, gets better.

[ksf-2 · 7/10 · 14 March 2023]

A six part series from australia. A man is run off the road by an eighteen wheeler, in the outback of australia. When he wakes up in the hospital, he realizes he has no memory of what happened. And apparently, someone is still out to get him. And all he has to go on are some photos in a camera that may or may not even belong to him! When he does figure out who he is, he wishes he hadn't. More and more details of his past are starting to come to light. It's a good story! Suspense and drama, once things get going in episodes two and three. As of today, one season is available on hbomax, but there are plans for a second season, according to wikipedia dot org. Let's hope that everything is answered before it disappears, like "cybill". Good performances, good, solid story. Some rough language and violence. Some blood and guts. Accents that come and go. Directed by daniel nettheim, chris sweeney. Story by jack and harry williams.

Probably the most underrated TV-serie at the moment

[villelaaksonen · 10/10 · 14 March 2024]

It's unique, it's got serious sense of drama and awesome storytelling going on. Twists are definitely juicy and unexpectedly balanced at the same time. Acting doesn't feel too much like acting; something which both of the actors for the lead characters do really good work with. Other characters are also really nicely written and the casting for the actors is bulletproof.

For these reasons, this is simply so much more than 95% of the other tv-series can offer and 10/10 is worth it even without being "just a statement" of how this show has so bad ratings. Makes me feel bad and think people must be blind and numb by the waste they are flooding their eyes with.

Stick to series 1

[Miss_softnessss · 7/10 · 11 January 2024]

Series 1 is absolutely brilliant and expect the unexpected. Really well thought of and tight plot. Series 2 is the opposite and a great disappointment. The annoying character from series 1 is 100x more annoying and the main ones seems to have lost their true identity (pun intended) and their wit. They do things they would never have done in series 1 and it gets frustrating at some point. Helen is definitely not the same character as in the first series, she's annoying and disregards the Irish community and behaves as if she is still in outback Australia and all places are her playground and going rogue on her own.

Suspense, Humor, PlotTwists.

[roberthurley-50507 · 10/10 · 1 March 2024]

All that and more. It turns out the in the hands of talented writers, directors, cinematographers and actors who know what they're doing, amnesia and mayhem can be funny and disturbing at the same time. Who knew? It works as a travelogue as well with some great shots of the outback of Australia and vistas of Ireland I've not seen the like of. You'll be amused and chilled by offbeat characters well fleshed out by a cast of talented actors who are familiar for their work in other well received projects and some I've not seen before but expect to see more of in future. Give it a couple of episodes to establish the rather complex story line. Check it out, you won't be disappointed.

An enigmatic story ...

[wheatley-20230 · 7/10 · 3 February 2022]

... which leaves me less than certain as to what to think of this series. Unusual characters in quirky situations is a promising start. Jamie Dornan's presence elevates whatever he is in. Australia's threatening landscape adds flavour.

But the whole of the penultimate episode is fueled by an accidental dose of LSD bringing on snatches of disjointed memory recall. It got wearying.

The enigmatic ending clawed back some credibility.

Promises suspense, delivers suspense.

[Laight · 10/10 · 15 February 2024]

The Tourist is one of those rare shows that provides exactly what you want it to: it's a taught thriller with some old tropes -- amnesia, vicious drug lords, femme fatales, the woman with the heart of gold who wants to save the hero -- that are presented in way that manage to make them feel fresh and original due to the excellent direction and script.

Most of all, however, the show's success is due to the two leads. Danielle MacDonald plays one of the unlikeliest heroines in a long time; she plays the ungainly, unglamorous part perfectly. But it's Jamie Dornan, the pretty boy, ex-model, former Shades of Gray guy who turns in a wildly riveting performance as the show's anti-hero. His acting is so perfectly on the mark it's hard to imagine anyone else in the role.

Update: The review above was for the first season. The second season is one of those very rare events: an equally good new act, accomplished with the same excellent writing, snappy direction, and perfect performances by MacDonald and Dornan, even though the plot takes on a completely new twist. In sum: The Tourist is one of the best shows of the last few years.

Outback thriller

[Ginrosie · 7/10 · 2 January 2022]

An international cast in a fast paced outback thriller...Starts off like the 70s classic thriller Duel, with a guy suffering amnesia following an accident. Like all good thrillers it doesn't long before the twists come in, you'll doubt who is telling the truth and a few dark, shady characters. As secrets and unexplained actions slowly become exposed...each episode ends with more questions.

Plot holes and continuity errors aplenty.

[mykwyn · 4/10 · 3 January 2024]

First series was good.

Second series was laughable. Plot holes you could drive a bus through litter it like confetti.

Our hero, trying get away from people chasing him in a van by running down a road, whilst surrounded by open moorland and then a pine forest, yet he sticks resolutely to the track, obviously he gets caught, he escapes and does it again. To give just one example.

Continuity is appalling too. One minute he's on a barren island, no trees at all, then he's running through forest looking remarkably like the one mentioned earlier, yet not visible in the drone shot of the island., then he's at a cliff again.

As for the fake beard at the start. 😄 Some of the dialogue is great, but the way the story has been executed really let's it down.

Please have a shower

[gallagherkellie · 6/10 · 5 January 2022]

Ok as an Australian I am slightly embarrassed for international people to watch this as it isn't a true representation of Australia or Australians. But I'm hoping everyone realised this.

Apart from that, one of the main characters was quite annoying but everyone else was good and the acting was great. I laughed a fair bit and I enjoyed the more gory scenes too.

It's an easy watch, becomes very silly but it's a dark comedy so I'm not going to take the plot too seriously. I just wish the characters would have a shower once in awhile... All in all I'd give it a 6/10 and will probably watch season two if there is one.

Fargo-esque with two very likable leads

[julieshotmail · 8/10 · 8 March 2022]

"The Tourist" has a very "Fargo" feel to it, set in the vast open fields of Australia which makes it the more fascinating. Starting out with action and a mystery, this short series has enough eclectic elements to keep you captivated. First, there is a mysterious guy, followed by a very sympathetic "cop," delightfully played by Danielle Macdonald. This actress is the biggest revelation here. Danielle portrays the character with so much heart that every scene with her character Helen just shines. More quirky characters are introduced, notably the American cowboy played by an Icelandic actor, the detective, and the cop trainee. The plot does get convoluted but loose ends are still tightened up so you don't lose your grip. The cinematography, camera work, and editing do justice to the sweeping Australian Outback beauty. Best of all, there is some snide dark humor that's quite enjoyable from characters that you least expect to be funny in real life.