The American – Rated R (for good reason – some violence and one intense sexual situation, and adult themes)
www.focusfeatures.com/the_american
“A brilliant, elegantly quiet movie with lonely and yet compelling pathos.” – Steven Shomler, Good Life Movie Reviews.
Summary – George Clooney plays a quiet, unsettled, methodical killer/weapons craftsman named both Jack and Edward. (Perhaps He is also an assassin or spy? – That’s never clear and it does not not really matter). Jack/Edward ends up in the Abruzzo Region of Italy on a job facing danger and his own aching heart.
Rating – I give The American 4 out of 5 gas cans – Very enjoyable and worth seeing in the theater…If you enjoy quiet, introspective “spy” movies.
My Favorite Quote – “Today we have a picnic.”
Runner up quotes -“Go to the house and call the police.”
“All of the sheep in my flock are dear to me, but some are more dear than others.”
“Above all, don’t make friends” ”
My Favorite Sequence – Edward and Father Benedetto in the park, early in the morning. Very well written dialogue, wonderful verbal fencing.
Go see this movie with – someone mature, a George Clooney fan, someone you would like to go out to coffee with following the movie to sit and discuss what thoughts and longings the movie aroused in you and in them.
Other reviews you might find helpful – Claudia Puig, USA Today www.usatoday.com/life/movies/reviews/the american Frank Tabouring, Screeninglog.com www.screeninglog.com/movie-review-the-american
My thoughts and what I liked –
This movie has a very nice pace to it. It’s not slow paced, but it does takes its time. Go prepared to enjoy the barren, yet beautiful scenery and take it all in. In this film, Jack/Edward does quite a bit of driving between Castel del Monte and Sulmona, and we get to see gorgeous cinematography.
Also this movie was quiet, in a delightful way. Enjoy the interludes of silence.
I found the main characters to be very engaging – George Clooney plays Jack/Edward with restrained feeling that lies just under the surface, longing to break out. Violante Placido plays Clara and Paolo Bonacelli plays Father Benedetto. I enjoyed all three of those characters.
Also the Abruzzo region of Italy and the town of Castel del Monte were “characters” in this movie as well. The landscape images breathe the same empty, quiet, loneliness that Jack/Edward does.
I appreciated the opening sequence in Darlarna, Sweden. To my way of thinking, that’s how a “spy” movie should begin.
I do have to say, the sex scene in this movie, while tastefully done and not gratuitous is emotionally intense and more realistic than you usually see in a movie. Some of you may want to take that into account when deciding if you will see this movie and when choosing who you might see it with.
For more on the beautiful region of Abruzzo and the town of Castel del Monte see these links –
www.abruzzotoday.com/castel-del-monte www.wikipedia.org/Castel_del_Monte
www.lifeinitaly.com/abruzzo www.wikipedia.org/Abruzzo
This post was written to Adam Hurst’s Gypsy Cello Album Ritual. Perfectly haunting heart felt music well suited for this movie review! Cellos are amazing instruments and Adam brings emotion and depth from his. www.adamhurststudio.com
Steven Shomler
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