The American

Some movies almost seem to be designed to be polarizing amongst audiences, and The American is one such film. There are some who will no doubt view director Anton Corbijn's film as an exercise in quite emotional power. I agree with them to an extent. There are some scenes here, mainly thanks to George Clooney's raw and emotional performance, that really hit home hard. But the movie did not work on me on the whole. This is an intentionally quiet, muted, and almost dream-like movie where little is said, little is implied, and even the main character is intentionally not given much of a background story.

We're supposed to be drawn in by the quiet power of the imagery, and while I was at times, I mostly felt myself at a distance watching it. I ask in advance that those who embrace this movie do not flood my e-mail box, accusing me that I did not "get" this movie. I understand what Clooney and Corbijn were trying to do in bringing Martin Booth's novel "A Very Private Gentleman" to the screen. The movie is poetic at times, often beautiful, and wonderfully performed, but it just did not resonate with me. As feverish as its fans will be, I expect the backlash against the film will be even stronger, especially given the deceptive ad campaign, which seems to be selling the film as a Jason Bourne-style adventure. There's not a single action sequence to be found here, save for one car chase late in the film. The movie is so quiet and reflective, many scenes contain no dialogue at all. It's a credit to the cast that they pull some of these scenes off, but in the end, I just was never hooked by the story or the characters.

The film is set in and around the picturesque village of Sulmona in Italy. Here, we find an American hit man named Jack (Clooney) holed up and waiting further instructions. We never really learn anything about his background, or much of what has led him here. We know he's in seclusion after an attempt on his life is made in the opening scene, but that's about it. During his time in the village, we learn that he is a weapons craftsman, and is currently working on a hi-tech gun for a mysterious woman named Mathilde (Thekla Reuten). Besides her, his main form of contact is a local prostitute who slowly wins his heart named Carla (Violante Placido), a friendly local priest (Paolo Bonacelli), and his boss whom he speaks briefly with over the phone from time to time, receiving orders.

The American is rambling in its plot. Its short on explanation, long on scenes where the characters silently reflect on everything that's going on around them, and generally does not seem to be in a hurry to where it needs to go. This is not where the problem lied with me. My problem is I never completely felt involved. I did not buy the relationship between Jack and Carla, since it seemed to be built on cliches. I also never felt any mounting tension, not even the quiet variety that I think the movie was trying to put across. I'm not saying there's no tension at all. I like the way the film builds a sense of paranoia, where Jack jumping alert at the slightest sound, always fearing for his life. But, on the whole, I never felt personally connected with anyone or anything that was going on.

What caught my interest the most watching the film was Clooney's performance, which is almost a pitch perfect demonstration of "less is more". There are so many scenes where he's required to act just with his face or his eyes, and they say so much more than dialogue ever could. Anyone watching the film should definitely pay attention to his last few scenes. The performance is a risky move for Clooney, when you think about it. He's forced to drop pretty much all the skills that have made him a major star (mostly his charm and wit), and play a shut-off and silent man. He excels, and no matter what you may think of the film itself, I think it must be agreed that his performance is one to notice.

I really wish I could be as enthusiastic for The American as I am for Clooney's lead performance. There were some moments where I felt that the movie was finally casting its intended spell over me, only to snap me back into cold reality. This is a film with a lot to admire that never really comes together in the end. I was mildly intrigued at times, but walked out feeling little. I guess this movie just wasn't for me.

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