Customer Reviews

The American [Blu-ray]

5 star:		(56)
4 star:		(49)
3 star:		(29)
2 star:		(30)
1 star:		(92)

 

 

I find 'The American' a hard sell as a film. It's not an action-thriller like the trailers make it out to be, nor would I call it a character drama or art house piece. I can't see either of these audiences appreciating this film on the level it wants you to. I think that's why I like it so much, there's nothing else like it in theaters (at least not right now).

'The American' is about cold-blooded professional "Jack" who, after being attacked in Sweden with his girlfriend (which ends violently but not the way you think) is directed by his associate to hide out in a small town in Italy. He ends up friending a priest and a prostitute and takes a job building/modifying a weapon for an assassin. Of course his old enemies catch up to him but the movie chooses more to focus on the main character's slow change from cold-professional to 'maybe' redeemable human being. There's some (very good) action and sex but the story's told in a very leisurely fashion with little dialogue. It's more about what's NOT said between and by characters that gives this movie it's weight and suspense.

The camera work in this film is stunning, and that's a good thing. With the action and unrevealing dialogue taking a back-seat the movies' long, beautiful shots of Italy really set the movie's mood well and gives the sense of isolation and seeming solitude for it's main character. The slow moving scenes of repetition involving the main character constructing a weapon and the brief word exchanges between the main character and another assassin (a terrific Thekla Reuten) perfectly reflects the mindset the film is in.

George Clooney took a big risk being cast in this film. It's unconventional and will easily put off his usual fans. I can even understand his performance of such a cold-hearted character being written off as one dimensional. I can only say I found Clooney perfectly convincing the entire way through and I hope he gets the recognition he deserves. The rest of the cast is non-americans with Violante Placido a stand-out (in more ways than one) as the prostitute whom Clooney befriends and eventually seems to fall for.

The DVD release of 'The American' looks very slick (even on my crappy tube-television) and comes with an insightful making-of that sheds light on the ideas the directors and producers put into the film. While there are some great cast interviews sadly there's not one with George Clooney. I would've loved to know his take on his character but there is some fun 'behind the camera' footage of him chatting and playing around with the rest of the crew so it's obvious he had fun making this movie.

As I said 'The American' is not for everyone and is very much NOT the movie it's advertised as. It's a slow-moving, adult thriller that manages to be engaging and unpredictable without non-stop action and dialogue. For the right audience this film's a winner!

"The American" is a superbly crafted, visually captivating and subtle character driven drama with an incredibly 70's European style and sensibility. Be warned those looking for an action filled generic thriller will be severely disappointed. This is an artful character study about a troubled assassin nearing the end of what we can tell to be a long career. The general tone of the film mirrors that of the characters personality, a tense and emotionally reserved perfectionist. There is not too much emotion through much of the film because like its main character it is hard for him and the film to open up, or let anyone in. This is probably the most suspenseful film I have seen this year. It becomes hard to trust anyone he meets and I found myself becoming just as paranoid as he was at times. The performances were all wonderful, this was the most reserved I have seen Clooney since "Syriana". He played the character with such subtly and depth. I thought the end was fantastic. I felt it was the only fitting conclusion to this story. Although this ending isn't the most original, with the help of Corbijn's meticulous story telling and Clooney's performance I found it to be quite upsetting.

I can completely understand why some do not like this film but I absolutely loved it. I thought it was so fascinating and so well crafted. It was shot so beautifully and felt so much like it could have been a film by Jean-Pierre Melville. I can easily understand any comparison to "Le Samourai" because they really are very similar. I couldn't disagree more with what a lot of critics have said about this but I can understand that is just isn't for everyone. For me, it is easily the best film I have seen so far this year.

The American' is a quietly powerful story and badly marketed by Focus Features. This is a slow burn character study that is ultimately very close to a remake of Jean-Pierre Melville's film 'Le Samourai'.

Director Anton Corbijn and scribe Rowan Joffe have taken Martin Booth's novel and crafted a real masterpiece here. George Clooney gives a top 5 performance as an assassin with a moral crisis of sorts, and those who stick with this film are rewarded.

BUT: It's definitely not for everyone. Those who are game for it are likely to become big fans. The film likely won't do much damage in the Oscar race, but that doesn't mean it isn't deserving of attention, because it definitely is. Jack (Clooney) is an assassin hiding out in a small Italian village. While there, he's supposed to keep a low profile and just wait for his next assignment. According to his boss (Johan Leysen) it's supposed to be simple, he'll just be making a custom rifle for another assassin (Thekla Reuten), not evening firing it. His lack of connection to the world gets to him however, and he soon finds himself seeing a local prostitute (Violante Placido) and befriending the town's priest (Paolo Bonacelli). Occasionally, someone will try to kill Jack, but that's almost beside the point in this film. The focus is far more on the potential romance with the prostitute and the possibly redemption of Jack's soul.

George Clooney is excellent here, taking risks again as an actor and stripped of all of his charm. He's rarely been better than he is here. The film lives and dies by his performance, and he's more than up to the challenge. The movie would suffer if a lesser actor was in the role. He's supported by an almost exclusively foreign cast, and they accent Clooney well, while not stealing the spotlight. Leysen is mostly seen talking to Clooney on the phone, but he's suitably menacing. Reuten comes off as both sexy and deadly, which is essentially for her scenes with Clooney. As for his two non-violent companions, his chemistry with Placido is very strong (and sexual...she's not afraid of nudity in the least), while it's more of a father-son thing with Bonacelli. No one here is bad, but it's the Clooney show through and through in this flick. Corbijn is a visual stylist while not being flashy, in the vein of the directors of the 1970's. Here he lingers on shots of Italy, making the village almost a character unto itself. Some might fault his extraordinarily slow pacing, but I found it more deliberate than "slow", per say. The script by Joffe is good, but wouldn't be what it is without Corbijn directing it and Clooney acting in it. Of the three major players, Corbijn is most deserving of awards attention, but ironically is the least likely to receive it. On the Oscar front, the film is good enough to be mentioned in the Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Cinematography fronts, but if any will happen, it'll be Cinematography of Martin Ruhe getting recognized. The flick is just too "indie" for a mainstream release (creating a lot of disgruntled viewers, like the one below) AND rated R for nudity, so it'll divide audiences and voters rather than uniting them. That's not a recipe for success, but it takes nothing away from the quality of the movie. 'The American' is one of the better releases of 2010. It won't satisfy those looking for a shoot-em-up, clean cut storytelling, or a neat denouement, but if you're in the mood for something different, this is a real treat.

I felt it was necessary to balance the scales a little after reading the many shallow reviews written by others who were duped by the action-movie marketing. No it's not an action movie, but if you grow up a little & see it as a realistic telling of a man's misspent life then you can come to appreciate how well crafted a film it is. It's not a film for testosterone junkies but if you're an intellectual with a colorful past who can appreciate how a man can "grow up" after age 40 & learn to love life- then you might get it. As other smart reviewers have noted- it's not for the teeming mass of recent boot-camp graduates(I'm paraphrasing), but those of us who've left that far behind us will look upon it with knowing eyes. Enjoy it for the good acting & the beautiful locations & the polished idea it presents. You can't escape your past & that's what should be understood from this movie.

George Clooney's latest film, directed by a former music video director Anton Corbijn, is a film that demonstrates effective use of star power: it's unlikely this film would have gotten any attention (and it's still unlikely to be anything huge) without the presence of the King of Hollywood. Clooney's been willing to loan out his starpower to low-profile films in the past, and he does so again here. This is a slow-burn story more interested in character interiors than "Bourne Identity"-style action sequences (though it is not devoid of action), one that will probably divide audiences. But if you're interested in that sort of film, this has a lot to recommend. Spoilers follow.

The film opens with a prologue in snowy Sweden, where Jack (Clooney) is cottage-going. There's a twist here that has been spoiled in some reviews, but is most effective when you don't know about it, so I'll refrain from saying anything. The key is that it sends our assassin title character on a trip to a small Italian town to await his next assignment from his boss, Pavel (Johan Leysen). Soon, a new assignment arrives, in the form of assistance to another assassin (Thekla Reuten), and legacies of his last mission also begin to appear. Whiile there Jack ponders the state of his life, sort-of-befriends a priest (Paolo Bonacelli), and starts to fall in love with a really, really luscious prostitute (Violante Placido).

It's familiar material, but it's played well. The director knows how to use the camera effectively, positioning it in ways that keep the audience on guard for something about to happen. If I came away with a single impression, it was a strong desire to visit the town in which this was filmed, because it looks stunning. Clooney really dials down his charisma here (like he did in "Syriana"), and gives an effective performance. The other actors, mainly Italians, are all effective, particularly Placido, who really sells the idea that our lead character would want to give up his old lifestyle to live with her (and she's very attractive - this is a movie prostitute who actually takes her clothes off). The mark of a good movie is when they can really interest you in the mechanics of the character's profession: we get some long sequences of Clooney at work on his guns, and it's interesting to watch (particularly constructing a sound supressor out of parts from an auto shop).

Recommended.

With all the advanced advertizing for this movie, my wife and I rented The American and anticipated a fun evening watching an entertaining thriller. That was not what occurred.

The American is not a "thriller", but a slow moving crime story. This film is similar to the "Spaghetti Westerns" made popular by Clint Eastwood in the 1960s, in that it has a slow moving plot, little dialogue, and highly symbolic scenes and gestures. It is a character story with a moral.

George Clooney stars as Jack, an assassin who is growing tired of his profession. After being ambushed near a lake in Sweden, Jack flees to a remote village in Italy. He functions with a false name, and takes what he hopes to be his last job, making an assault rifle for a colleague.

Jack encounters two characters who attempt to reform him: a priest and a prostitute. The priest, Father Benedetto, played by Paolo Bonacelli, senses that he is a criminal (a sinner who still intends to sin) but listens to him and accepts and befriends him.
The prostitute, Clara, played by Violante Placido, provides him with comfort and understanding. Clara offers Jack unconditional love and Jack slowly falls for her.

The American is a film for a few. The typical viewer may leave during the middle of the movie or wonder why they stayed. Those who love character studies will likely enjoy the film. I rate this film average.

An excellent film. No, it is not fast-paced, yes, the camera does pan lovingly over the landscape (and takes some really outstanding aerial shots), yes, George says very little and there seems to be no traffic (of any kind) in this part of Italy. However, as a somber character study of a death dealer approaching death it is just excellent. I found the atmosphere, the pacing, the minimal dialogue (much of it in Italian) and the minutiae of 'Jack's' craft thoroughly absorbing. I see it as a counterpoint to the ridiculousness of the other films in the action/thriller genre - not that they aren't enjoyable on their own level. Whereas in other films a Matt Damon or a Pierce Brosnan would jump on a high powered motorcycle for the chase scene, Clooney uses a thoroughly Italian scooter. The weapons employed are small, subtle, appropriate. This film to me recalled Day of the Jackal (1973) in its ability to evoke the stealthy, paranoid world of the international assassin. Kudos to George for taking on such a quiet role and for bringing to it a depth of feeling (just watch his eyes) that really evokes the chilly world of unredeemed loneliness and isolation his chosen career necessitates. I like this film very much.

There was nothing "Hollywood" about this movie, and that's why I loved the H*LL out of it...!! We always knew Clooney could act, but the direction and the style of the movie was what kept me interested. Most of today's movies don't know when to SHUT UP (overly needless dialogue) and let the plot do the talking. Same with the usually lousy and inappropriate "music". This film had NEITHER and it was definitely its strong point. Reminded me very much of an excellent Bronson or McQueen movie, only updated to today's style. This is kind of what James Bond would be if it had been rated "R". NO, this was defiinitely not an action movie, but there was MORE than enough going on in the plot, if you paid attention (those with no attention spans, hence your 1 star ratings...). I loved it.

Clooney's character, 'Jack,' could have given Eastwood's 'Man-With-No-Name' lessons in sociopathy. THE AMERICAN is about a cold-blooded assassin that is on the verge of an epiphany, and whether it is love, or simply ennui, and the realization that he no longer wishes to be a man apart, makes him vulnerable to the killers that have tracked him from Sweden to a lazy mountain town in Italy.

If you're looking for an action movie, or perhaps cliffhanger suspense, this is not the movie for you. This is low-key, almost to the extreme, but a fascinating character study none-the-less. It has quite a bit of nudity, and will not appeal to everyone.

I usually don't write reviews but I feel like I need to for The American. It seems that a lot of people expected this to be another Bourne Identity or Bond movie. This is definitely not that. This movie is all about the plot and creating tension. It's about the slow and methodical way the plot unfolds. Because of that, when the action comes it feels more real than anything you'd see in a Bond movie.

I really, really enjoyed it and if you enjoyed Clooney's version of Solaris over the Ocean movies I imagine you will enjoy this too.