The American

The American seems somehow not anchored in time. It could easily have taken place sometime during the seventies or eighties and it would have worked just fine. Simply old school. Beautiful camerawork, Corbijn’s solid directing and excellent Clooney. Violante Placido is so beautiful it hurts. I have the biggest problem with how interchangeable the whole movie appears. In reality, it’s somewhere between 3 and 4 stars, but maybe I’ll change my mind after I watch it again. (30/07/2011)

I wouldn't say it's a fundamental film of today's era, but considering the significantly different reviews from users, it's a clear sign that a certain part of the fans demands a return to the film style of the 70s, which included a significant stream of content-experimenting creations, not based on plot but on atmosphere, acting, symbols, and hints. The American reminds me of the arthouse thrillers of the French New Wave, and I remembered Godard's film Breathless while watching it, where characters without a past also appeared and the audience clearly felt that they had no future either. Fans of dynamic action and a packed plot will definitely not be satisfied with The American, but those who want to enjoy playing a game with the director and top-notch acting may be content. Personally, the screenplay disappointed me a bit, as I expected more polished and fundamental dialogues, for example, between Jack and his psychological counterpart, the local priest, or between Jack and his successor Mathilda. The love story between a contract killer and a local prostitute is also a bit cheap. Overall impression: 75%. (09/03/2011)

A chamber film, unconventionally presented and surprisingly low in action, about a hitman who (in classic fashion) hides out in a quiet, backwater European town after a bad deal or because of a potential threat. It's hard to say what the main charm of this film is – maybe it's the confinement to the genre as such, or the poetry of that Italian landscape, which gives a calming and wholesome impression while hiding the murderous bastard, but for your part you kind of wish him that calm because he's a tremendous likable guy. Artful, hypnotic, refined. And the romantic storyline was nice. (04/01/2013)

A film with an average screenplay, but with excellent direction that relies primarily on the drive and style of crime movies from the seventies. This is reflected in the location where the story takes place, the simple visual stylization, the straightforward plot, and the laconic main character, as well as the austere and rather raw action scenes without unnecessary hi-tech additions and other frills. Clooney surprises in a role where he hardly smiles and doesn't have his typical manly outbursts. The ending is somewhat “artistic”, but that is probably the least important thing. It has style, and I appreciate that. (24/12/2010)

A few reviews say something like “like one of Melville’s movies"; which is more than accurate, but they fail to specify whether this is “like one of Melville’s worse movies" or “like one of Melville’s better movies". In my opinion, I simply add that The American is “like one of Melville’s best movies ever". In fact, it’s so good that it can stand up for itself and no such undignified comparisons are necessary. (20/11/2011)