A low-ranking intelligence operative (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) working in the office of the U.S. Ambassador in France takes on more than he bargained for when he partners with a wisecracking, fast-shooting, high-ranking U.S. agent (John Travolta) who's been sent to Paris to stop a terrorist attack.

From Paris with Love is the kind of film you shouldn’t like bit despite that for some reason you find yourself liking it. It is over the top, action packed, mindless entertainment that while it has a thousand flaws and a thousand things wrong with it you still find it entertaining and not a bad way to wile away and afternoon at a matinee. That’s what From Paris with Love is it’s the perfect mindless entertainment great for an afternoon matinee on a day when it’s rainy or snowing and you have nothing else to do. It passes the time and entertains you even though its silly, inane and quite cheesy.

I am not even sure if there is a plot to the film much less a story. I think there is a premise, there must be a premise right but that’s probably about it. In the tradition of so many buddy cop films before veteran agent/cop/spy tags up with a new comer and very green rookie and tries to teach him the ropes as they both try and not get killed. Add some wacky antics, lots of action, plenty of shoot outs and some vague reason these two are teamed up together and maybe even a crime they are trying to solve and just let the movie go. Heard it before, seen it before will that make it any less entertaining or less fun no probably not this is the kind of film that doesn’t really need a plot to survive and it doesn’t even matter if the movie has been done a hundred times before.

I like the idea of using Paris as a backdrop and it seems perfect for this kind of film to be set it a different locale. Heck it could have been London or Berlin for all we care the fact that is set in a foreign and romantic kind of locale adds to the film it gives it a kind of mystique a kind of romantic feel to it that it would have been missing had it been set in a place closer to home like New York. There is not much going for the film besides the mindless action so the mystique and setting added a lot to the film. Sometimes a city can be the star of the film evidenced by such films like Manhattan and Paris is the star of this film at times.

I am not sure what the look that Travolta is trying to pull off in this film was supposed to convey to the audience. Is the cue ball haircut and the single gold earring supposed to sell you the character of an unorthodox spy or was he just having fun with the look. Travolta plays this kind of character well enough that he really doesn’t need all the distractions of add looking character to befuddle the audience. Jonathan Rhys Meyers is the perfect counterpart to Travolta as the suave and somewhat befuddled agent himself but that is the staple of most buddy cop films. Like I said before From Paris with Love is a film you shouldn’t like but for some reason you actually do like it.

Grade: B-