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Banks, a lot

As America's hate-hate relationship with money continues, there may not be a better time to see "The International", a taut conspiracy thriller from "Run, Lola, Run" director Tom Tykwer. Though the ads tout the photogenic pairing of Clive Owen and Naomi Watts, this is really Mr. Owen's movie. The actor plays Lou Salinger, an Interpol agent who, in the opening minutes, witnesses the mysterious death of his partner. This incident, and the requisite misdiagnosis by the coroner, sends Lou down the rabbit hole where he discovers and elaborate conspiracy leading to the titular organization, the International Bank of Business and Credit (or IBBC).

Though the IBBC is fictitious, it's not hard to imagine any number of organizations in its place thanks to an impressively tightly-wound debut script by Eric Singer. Mr. Singer bakes in plenty of pulp (money laundering, weapons deals, ties to organized crime) but also peppers in some clever nonsense about the value of debt to keep the proceedings relevant.

Thankfully, no one plays disheveled determination like Clive Owen. This was Harrison Ford's bailiwick for a while. And recently, Matt Damon and Daniel Craig have flirted with the honor, but Mr. Owen is proving himself heir to the 70s antiestablishment mantle vacated by Nicholson, Beatty and Redford all those years ago. Mr. Owen plays the kind of hero who gets part of his ear shot off during a truly spectacular shoot-out at the Guggenheim (or at least a remarkable recreation - is that irony?) and remains bloodied for the rest of the film.

As for Ms. Watts' role as ADA Whitman, the film makes an interesting choice here. Whitman has a husband and child in New York, so there's no love story with Salinger and it's not logical for her to traipse around the world with him (true to its title, the film jumps from Berlin to Milan to Istanbul, with stops in Manhattan and Luxembourg). As a result, the actress is relegated to the background. It's a bold move for a big budget film, and one that lesser actresses might have fought. But Ms. Watts, as always, makes the most of her screentime and proves a formidable partner even from afar.

"The International" is new territory for the director whose previous work ("Lola", "The Princess & the Warrior", "Perfume: The Story of a Murderer") consists mostly of quirky character-driven indies. "The International" is a sharp throwback to the man-vs-system films of the 70s, and Mr. Tykwer proves to be more than up to the challenge, making fantastic use of his locations and keeping the pace brisk. Our own economic woes may not be solved by one lone antihero (or one new president). But, for two hours, it's fun to imagine they could be.