Also checked out A Hologram for the King, the adaptation of the book by David Eggers (which I have not read). This is a new Tom Hanks movie about a broken, lost salesman who travels to Saudi Arabia to sell a holographic telecommunication meeting package to the King. It’s a movie about self-rediscovery and I liked it quite a bit.
There’s not a big Event that happens in the movie. This flick takes its time to show our hero maneuvering through the culture of The Kingdom, trading in some cliches, bashing down others. It’s about him getting the run-around over his presentation, making friends with a local driver, dealing with crushing anxiety, his past, and a giant cyst on his back. Which segues into one of the best parts of the film – the female (Saudi) doctor who treats him and with him he starts to have a cautious attraction and romance.
I can’t speak for the accuracy of the novel but the movie made me want to read it so that’s a solid recommendation. I really enjoyed this movie. That said, I’m not surprised it has had barely any advertising, even with Tom Hanks as the star. It’s a hard sell with that title and the “middle aged American finds himself in a foreign country” story.
Score: 88