Sunday, September 26, 2010

The American: Movie Review


Interesting mix between character study and thriller.

George Clooney is "The American", an assassin, hiding out in Italy. That, and his love of prostitutes, are pretty much all we know about him. It turns out to be an interesting mix between a character study and a thriller.   2010

Directed by: Anton Corbijn

Screenplay by: Rowan Joffe

Starring: George Clooney

Directed by Anton Corbijn, this film is visually stunning. The expansive shots of the Italian villages and country side are spectacular. But I was beginning to assume that that was all the film was going to offer me. The excessive nudity and sex scenes were uncomfortable, and I didn't think there was any real emotion to anything about Clooney's character. Slowly, though, I was absorbed into the thoughts of the characters. The adeptness with which he subtly developed them, almost imperceptibly, is quite impressive.

I was frustrated by how long it took for there to be revelations into the minds of the characters. But once I found things to hang onto, I was consumed by the direction "The American" would take me. It took the road less traveled by, And that has made all the difference. (A film so poetic in its telling deserves a vintage poetry reference).
Best of 2010