Reviewing films can often be a thankless task. You have to wade through countless soulless 3D blockbusters, tedious teeny romps starring the current Just Seventeen flavour of the month, and a seemingly never ending tirade of pointless no brainer franchise sequels. It’s enough to make you want to burn down the local multiplex and just buy a good book. But at the same time it can be twice as rewarding when you discover a slice of cinema that reminds you why you fell in love with movies in the first place. For any other jaded members of the cinema going public craving visual redemption, The American is a film you should definitely seek out. Starring the always watchable George Clooney it harks back to a time when films had depth and credited audiences with intelligence, attention spans, and an understanding of narrative. Basically if you think Avatar is the best film you have ever seen, stop reading now.
The American stars Clooney as Jack, an assassin with a price on his head. After a failed attempt on his life results in the death of a female companion Jack’s handler sends him to a small village in the Italian countryside to lay low. A man of few words, Jack does his best to avoid the inhabitants of the town but loneliness eventually gets the best of him and it is not long before he has befriended the village priest, and sought the services of the beautiful prostitute Clara, who both seem desperate to learn more about the silent American. Growing tired of the life he has chosen and haunted by his conscience, Jack decides that he wants out of the business. But first he must complete one last job, the construction of a gun for a mysterious but beautiful woman. But can a man with so much sin ever truly escape his past? Who can be trusted? These are questions Jack must ask as the walls of the idyllic village begin to close in on him.
This film is fantastic, fantastically written, fantastically shot, and fantastically acted. Despite its title this is very much a European affair. The lush Italian landscape is perfectly captured by director Anton Corbijn, who aside from the bleak Joy Division biopic Control has specialised predominantly in music videos. But this film isn’t just European in setting, its European in its very essence. It has the feel of a cool 1970’s French or Italian thriller, the pacing is slow and deliberate, whole segments of the film feature little or no dialogue. The phrase ‘character study’ was invented for films like this, as the audience gradually learns about jack through his actions rather than his words, and it is Clooney who deserves the most credit for this. Like he did in the equally impressive Syriana, Clooney proves he is at his absolute best when he can drop the ‘Hollywood Heartthrob’ mantle and get his teeth into complex characters with real depth. This film may not be for everyone, people looking for a Bond style action film will be left wanting, but those who appreciate the craft of great storytelling will find a film that leaves them utterly satisfied.
Review by Elliot Hyams
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