The series “The Tourist” from the little-known streaming service Stan intrigues: at least with its Australian setting, at most with a new role from a generally decent actor Jamie Dornan (yes, from “Fifty Shades of Grey”).

A deserted highway somewhere in the middle of Australia. A lone motorist driving peacefully about his business. Suddenly, his car is rammed by an unknown truck. The guy miraculously survives but completely loses his memory. That’s how the series “The Tourist” by the Australian video service Stan begins (in our region, the show can be found in the Amediateka catalog). And this is just the start of the unexpected and unpredictable adventures of the hero played by Jamie Dornan.

Who am I?

Together with the main character, the viewer is invited on a dynamic chase after the ghosts of the past. No joke, in the very first episode, Dornan’s character receives a call from an “unknown” person who asks him to literally dig himself out from underground, and beforehand he manages to avoid death from an explosion (!).

Bit by bit, Elliot (that’s the protagonist’s name) recovers his memory but cannot understand why people are trying to kill him, constantly pursuing him and wanting something from him. At some point, even a well-known criminal joins the chase. Because the hero doesn’t really understand anything and tries to find out the truth, the plot dynamics are maintained. New answers give rise to new questions. New memories lead to new discoveries, some of which turn out not to be so rosy for Elliot.

Unobvious setting

We are used to such crime and detective stories in an American setting. Even in Scandinavian landscapes, such a story would be more familiar, appropriate, and recognizable. Instead, “The Tourist” allows you to feel the heat of the Australian deserts and the flavor of local backwater towns.

The only attraction here is a small river, which the cinematographer savors from episode to episode, reminiscent of a similar technique by the creators of our series “ ” with their admiration of the Holy Dormition Cathedral.

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Open material

The characters also turned out colorful. Among the characters in the series “The Tourist”:

• Helen (Danielle Macdonald), the girl entrusted with Elliot’s “case”, despite not yet officially becoming a police officer;
• Luci (Shalom Brune-Franklin), a local waitress who knows something about Elliot but is in no hurry to share her knowledge;
• Detective Lachlan (Damon Herriman), who is sent to handle the case when it becomes more than just an accident story;
• Kostas (Alex Dimitriades), a powerful criminal who pursues Elliot and does not shy away from the most brutal measures in his search.

On the importance of memory

To what extent is a person shaped by their past, actions, and memories of the past? These themes constitute the second “layer” of the series. The creators of “The Tourist” don’t say anything critically new, but their reflections are enough to break up the abundance of events.

However, additional subthemes, such as some characters’ struggle with excess weight, sometimes seem frankly contrived and unnecessary. It’s as if the creators wanted to add extra depth to the story and jump on the body positivity bandwagon. Why? I have no answer.

Is the mini-series “The Tourist” worth watching?

If you’ve missed thrilling and captivating detective stories or you like plots involving memory games, then “The Tourist” will be a great way to spend a few evenings. Besides the plot, there’s really something to see: mesmerizing Australian landscapes, as well as Jamie Dornan in a strong and charismatic role reminiscent of the days when he looked like one of the most promising British actors.

Trailer: