Starring: George Clooney, Thekla Reuten and Violante Placido.
Directed by: Anton Corbijn
MPAA Rating: R for violence, sexual content and nudity.
Genre: Romance, Thriller and Adaptation
Running Time: 1 hr. 35 min.
Distributed by: Focus Features
Release Date: September 1, 2010
By John Delia
I wish I could say that The American is a thrill a minute, but it isn’t. It would be nice if I could tell you that the story is something new and different, but not that either. I want to say that George Clooney does a terrific job of acting, well THAT I CAN SAY and it saves the movie. The film targets the over 20’s male that likes suspense, intrigue with slow moving character and story build up. The ladies will love George Clooney.
The story centers on Jack (Clooney) an international assassin who places tops in his field. When the film starts Jack is finishing up on an assignment in Sweden and moving on to Italy where he gets contacted for his next job. He is reluctant to take the contract, as he wants to quit the business, but this job involves something different; he won’t have to kill the subjects. Instead, all he has to do involves supplying the hit-person, Mathilde (Thekla Reuten) with the weapon needed to carry out the contract. He can then collect the money and walk away from the business. When Jack breaks one of his rules by getting romantically involved with a hot prostitute (Violante Placado) however, the plan takes an unexpected turn.
The story moves along deliberately slow so you can savor the phenomenal acting by all the players. There are moments when the camera gets frozen on Jack’s face as he thinks about the decisions he is making or to which he has committed. The acting here is mostly gestures and facial, but you can read into every thought and predict every move he has decided to make. It’s Clooney at his best like his performances in Up In The Air and Michael Clayton where he commands attention to his characters.
In support are two talented and lovely actresses Violante Placado as a stunning prostitute who challenges Jack’s loneliness. The other charm Thekla Reuten plays the assassin to whom Jack must deliver the weapon for the final hit. Both women heat up the screen, are intriguing and believable, making the film enjoyable to watch.
Outstanding cinematography by Martin Ruhe under the direction of Anton Corbijn provides the wizardry for the film. From frozen Sweden to rain and sun soaked Italy the camera blends violence with beauty. His shots from above of the hillside Italian village with a labyrinth of streets, curvy roads to gorgeous mountain ranges and a serene brook provide a picturesque setting that any travelogue editor would crave yet add to the surrealism of the merciless deeds of the assassin. The filming is truly a work of art.
The American targets males with its R rating for violence, sexual content and nudity, but the ladies will not be able to take their eyes off of Clooney with his graying hair, gracefully aging and yet nicely cut body as he works out to keep in top shape before completing his final job.
FINAL ANALYSIS: A mesmerizing performance saves the day. (4 of 5)