Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on May 2013

It looks like it’s funny, from its retro, Pink Panther-like opening credits to its farcical setups, fart gags and lost-my-pants slapstick. But not far into this stilted remake of the 1966 Shirley MacLaine/Michael Caine flick you realize what’s missing: you’re not laughing. Brit art curator Colin Firth enlists American cowgirl Cameron Diaz to dupe his obnoxious boss (Alan Rickman) into buying a fake Monet crafted by Tom Courtenay. These actors neither stretch their talents nor enhance their filmographies. Stereotypical Japanese businessmen notably offensive. Scripted by the Coen Brothers. Hard to tell.