Tom Hanks in A Hologram for the King , trailer #1

Directed by Tom Tykwer (his first film since directing parts of Cloud Atlas), A Hologram for the King is based on Dave Eggers novel of the same name. Unlike Eggers previous more elaborate work that revels in his flair for language, Hologram is written in deliberately spare, almost storybook prose and feels like a cautionary parable about the unexpected side-effects of globalization, outsourcing and the downsizing of the American Dream. The novel is starkly matter-of-fact without quite conveying any actual recognizable reality, like a sustained unsettling acid trip. From the trailer, it appears this detached dreamlike quality of the novel is the tricky inflection being translated into visual terms, and they’re obviously playing up the comedic elements. Hard to say how this will all come together, but Tykwer and his long-time collaborator cinematographer Frank Griebe always strike a cinematic tone all their own (ever since Run Lola Run).

(By the way, IMDb lists Ahmed Al-Ibrahim as co-director, as part of “Miscellaneous Crew,” and he’s credited as receiving special “Thanks.” Not sure how any of this passed inspection at IMDb, but it’s almost certainly all false.)

(Thanks, Al, for the tip)