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Amazon.co.uk Review
Control's Anton Corbijn gives the crime film a distinctly European twist in this understated thriller (think The Day of the Jackal). A trim George Clooney plays Jack, a hit man who relocates from Sweden to Italy after assailants try to take his life. Jack's handler (Johan Leysen) advises him not to make any friends, which proves easier said than done. Ensconced in medieval Abruzzo, the assassin passes himself off as a photographer (in Martin Booth's novel, A Very Private Gentleman, he claimed to be an illustrator), but he's actually customizing an assault rifle for Mathilde (Thekla Reuten), his female counterpart. Upon his excursions through town, Jack meets Father Benedetto (Paolo Bonacelli), who senses he has something to confess--"A priest sees everything," he explains--but Jack would prefer to share a brandy. He also befriends Clara, a prostitute (Violante Placido, perfectly comfortable with onscreen nudity). What starts out as a sexual relationship deepens as Jack's sensitive side--he has a thing for butterflies--emerges, but then the Swedes discover his hiding place, and Jack develops doubts about his lady friends, leading to a showdown that plays like a scene from an old Western, a debt Corbijn acknowledges when Jack chances upon a broadcast of Once upon a Time in the West. If the conclusion doesn't cut as deep as the director intends, his admirable restraint throughout keeps the tension at a low boil, while Clooney tamps down his charisma to play a dogged professional with redemption on his mind. --Kathleen C. Fennessy
DVD Description
Academy Award winner George Clooney stars in the title role of this suspense thriller, filmed on location in Italy.
Alone among assassins, Jack (played by Mr. Clooney) is a master craftsman. When a job in Sweden ends more harshly than expected for this American abroad, he vows to his contact Larry (Bruce Altman) that his next assignment will be his last. Jack reports to the Italian countryside, where he holes up in a small town and relishes being away from death for a spell. The assignment, as specified by a Belgian woman, Mathilde (Thekla Reuten of “In Bruges”), is in the offing as a weapon is constructed. Surprising himself, Jack seeks out the friendship of local priest Father Benedetto (Italian stage and screen veteran Paolo Bonacelli) and pursues romance with local woman Clara (Italian leading lady Violante Placido). But by stepping out of the shadows, Jack may be tempting fate.
Special Features:
Alone among assassins, Jack (played by Mr. Clooney) is a master craftsman. When a job in Sweden ends more harshly than expected for this American abroad, he vows to his contact Larry (Bruce Altman) that his next assignment will be his last. Jack reports to the Italian countryside, where he holes up in a small town and relishes being away from death for a spell. The assignment, as specified by a Belgian woman, Mathilde (Thekla Reuten of “In Bruges”), is in the offing as a weapon is constructed. Surprising himself, Jack seeks out the friendship of local priest Father Benedetto (Italian stage and screen veteran Paolo Bonacelli) and pursues romance with local woman Clara (Italian leading lady Violante Placido). But by stepping out of the shadows, Jack may be tempting fate.
Special Features:
- Journey to redemption: The Making of The American
- Feature Commentary
- Deleted Scenes
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
20 of 23 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Based on the novel "A Very Private Gentleman" by Martin Booth, The American follows the story of Jack (George Clooney - Up In The Air) an assassin and weapon smith. After his cover is blown in Sweden, Jack flees to Italy and is sent to lie-low in the picturesque hill-top town of Castel Vecchio. Jack's paranoia means he is distrusting of his handler and relocates to the nearby Castel del Monte. Unused to foreigners in their midst, the locals dub him "The American" despite Jack's insistence he is here solely for the photographic panoramas the town affords. After befriending the local priest rather inadvertently, Jack begins to relax in his new surroundings until his handler gives him another job involving another assassin (the beautiful Thekla Reuten - In Bruges), will he take it? Or will he leave his old life behind for the seemingly fleeting happiness that Castel del Monte grants him?
A deep sense of menace sets into this film from the get-go and how could it not with an opening scene revealing some pretty telling issues about our protagonist despite only a handful of words being said. It is this sense of foreboding that carries this film in its slower parts and it's not without its lulls. However there is something of a wordless character development going on in the lulls as we see Jack is a rigorously methodical man, exercising religiously and the artisanal-like devotion he gives to his trade. His relationship with the handful of locals he befriends are all telling about some part of his psyche and helps us understand the type of man Jack is. For these reasons the American has become a fast-favourite of mine, the story is linear and progresses at a decent enough pace yet has is almost hypnotic in the way it unfurls. Clooney's performance is stellar, despite being low on dialogue; I was enthralled by the character. This is a modern-day story of the The samurai.
Having said all that, the simple linear premise and the serenity of this film can let your attention wander during the 1 hour and 45 minutes this plays out in, but if you are as captivated as I was by the initial scenes and frantic scrabbling trying to put the handful of jigsaw pieces you are given together in some sort of meaningful way you will be entertained. Short on dialogue but long on atmosphere, The American will divide its audience. All I can say is be patient and bear with it and you stand a good chance of enjoying a very arty tale!
A deep sense of menace sets into this film from the get-go and how could it not with an opening scene revealing some pretty telling issues about our protagonist despite only a handful of words being said. It is this sense of foreboding that carries this film in its slower parts and it's not without its lulls. However there is something of a wordless character development going on in the lulls as we see Jack is a rigorously methodical man, exercising religiously and the artisanal-like devotion he gives to his trade. His relationship with the handful of locals he befriends are all telling about some part of his psyche and helps us understand the type of man Jack is. For these reasons the American has become a fast-favourite of mine, the story is linear and progresses at a decent enough pace yet has is almost hypnotic in the way it unfurls. Clooney's performance is stellar, despite being low on dialogue; I was enthralled by the character. This is a modern-day story of the The samurai.
Having said all that, the simple linear premise and the serenity of this film can let your attention wander during the 1 hour and 45 minutes this plays out in, but if you are as captivated as I was by the initial scenes and frantic scrabbling trying to put the handful of jigsaw pieces you are given together in some sort of meaningful way you will be entertained. Short on dialogue but long on atmosphere, The American will divide its audience. All I can say is be patient and bear with it and you stand a good chance of enjoying a very arty tale!
24 of 28 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
If you're expecting a brash American blockbuster with George Clooney wise-cracking his way through it, think again.
This ia a very European film, beautifully observed, beautifully filmed, slow moving and sometimes low on dialogue. George Clooney gives a superb, subdued performance as the insular assassin hiding out in stunning Italian countryside. The Italian and Belgian leading ladies are also superb - and ever so sexy.
I feel this is a marvellous film, one of the best of 2010. However, I accept that some movie-goers would have preferred a brash guns-and-explosions American extravaganza, and those people are likely to be a little puzzled and perhaps even slightly disappointed. This film probably has more in common with "Cinema Paradiso" than with "Ocean's Eleven". A teen movie it ain't.
This ia a very European film, beautifully observed, beautifully filmed, slow moving and sometimes low on dialogue. George Clooney gives a superb, subdued performance as the insular assassin hiding out in stunning Italian countryside. The Italian and Belgian leading ladies are also superb - and ever so sexy.
I feel this is a marvellous film, one of the best of 2010. However, I accept that some movie-goers would have preferred a brash guns-and-explosions American extravaganza, and those people are likely to be a little puzzled and perhaps even slightly disappointed. This film probably has more in common with "Cinema Paradiso" than with "Ocean's Eleven". A teen movie it ain't.
14 of 17 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
I thoroughly enjoyed this low-key but entertaining thriller, directed by Anton Corbjin (Control).
George Clooney is the only major star in the film and he turns in a restrained and understated performance as a world-weary hit man who has barely escaped death in Sweden and moves to rural Italy to let things quieten down. It is clear that he is considering getting out off the "business".
He settles into the slow pace of life there and starts a relationship with a local woman. However one of his old connections asks him to help in setting up a "hit" and he agrees. This sets in motion a tense series of events that leads to a dramatic and perhaps inevitable conclusion.
Clooney's performance is miles away from his more familiar wisecracking roles, such as Ocean's Eleven. "The American" is more similar to films of his like "Syriana" and "Michael Clayton", both of which were excellent.
The supporting cast are excellent, including Thekla Reuten, Violante Placido and Paolo Boncelli.
George Clooney is the only major star in the film and he turns in a restrained and understated performance as a world-weary hit man who has barely escaped death in Sweden and moves to rural Italy to let things quieten down. It is clear that he is considering getting out off the "business".
He settles into the slow pace of life there and starts a relationship with a local woman. However one of his old connections asks him to help in setting up a "hit" and he agrees. This sets in motion a tense series of events that leads to a dramatic and perhaps inevitable conclusion.
Clooney's performance is miles away from his more familiar wisecracking roles, such as Ocean's Eleven. "The American" is more similar to films of his like "Syriana" and "Michael Clayton", both of which were excellent.
The supporting cast are excellent, including Thekla Reuten, Violante Placido and Paolo Boncelli.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Slow Building Thriller
Having previously read the book - based on the idea that it had been made into an action thriller, and been surprised by the slow pace and style of the book - my expectations for... Read more
Published 20 days ago by MarkW
Save Yourself (It's too late for me ...)
I bought this DVD for a budget price. Sometimes, if a bargain SEEMS too good to be true, it IS too good to be true. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Sordel
Stretching credibility
The film opens on a scene in snow-covered Sweden. Clooney's caracter discovers footprints in the snow and immediately knows that they come from a sniper out there to kill him. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Benoît Entringer
Five star movie
The dvd cover contains a few five star reviews. UNCUT magazine rates it 5 stars and states "Compelling".
Is it as bad as Amazon.co.uk reviewers say? Not quite. Read more
Is it as bad as Amazon.co.uk reviewers say? Not quite. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Billy Ray Cyrus
The American't
I cannot accept the positive without further additionals to the negative.
You have to accentuate the positive when you absolutely, positively MUST watch every minute of this... Read more
You have to accentuate the positive when you absolutely, positively MUST watch every minute of this... Read more
Published 4 months ago by J. Spittle
Slow but good
It seems this film has gained mixed reviews, which I read before watching.
The story is very straight forward, and been done many times before. Read more
The story is very straight forward, and been done many times before. Read more
Published 4 months ago by chelios1981
How very yawning!!
We were given this as an Xmas present, particularly as my wife is a Clooney fan. I really can't believe that Clooney needs the money this badly! Read more
Published 4 months ago by Michael C. Burrows
what did i watch
it started good but then went slow then very slow then went abit arthouse with the sex scene then went back to sheer bordem finished with cliche at the end
Published 5 months ago by odersfelt
Not the greatest Clooney vehicle
THE AMERICAN (2010) is a peculiar amalgam of a slow-moving drama interspersed with action, violence, and moderate sex. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Valerie J.
Hard to stay awake
There are so many good thrillers these days with Le Carre adaptations, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Killing, In the Valley of Elah and many others. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Stephen
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