The American
A thoughtful, engaging and skilfully crafted thriller.

The American begins with Jack (George Clooney) and his apparent lover stepping outside their idyllic cabin in Darlana, Sweden, into the vast, snowy space that lies before them. When they find footprints that are not their own, the tranquillity comes to an abrupt halt and Jack spots two loitering gunmen positioned around them and systematically, and expertly, shoots them down. Clearly shocked by the fact Jack is not only in possession of gun but shooting it at people, the woman begins to question him. He tells her to go back to the cabin and call the police and, as she turns her back, he shoots her. An alarmingly ruthless start but a pace-setter it is not.

The film quickly returns to its initial peacefulness; long stretches of road and lingering pans of the landscapes follow Jack to Rome where he is ordered into seclusion at a small, apparently uneventful, town where he will work remotely from for the foreseeable future.

This is a literary adaptation of Martin Booth’s A Very Private Gentleman and, as the title suggests, Clooney plays a character that is both enigmatic and elusive. In fact, he hardly talks. He has no women in his life and, from the opening scene, it is easy to see why this is the case. A priest attempts to befriend Jack (who now goes by Edward), while he finds company, solace and sex with a local prostitute called Clara. It is evident though that he is being tracked and his past seemingly instructs him to trust nobody and be suspicious of everyone, including people that he starts relationships with.

His circumstance raises a lot of questions; who is this man? Why has he left America? What does he do exactly? The latter is the closest to being answered. His cover is a photographer but he is, in fact, a highly proficient weaponsmith, crafting and assembling a bespoke firearm and sound muffler for a dangerous colleague.

In Corbijn’s first film since Control, he has delivered some stunning symbolism (predominantly surrounding an endangered butterfly) and some technically enthralling scenes. The film is beautifully shot and conveys an idyllic local Italy. However the pace is often plodding but while this is not a film full of intrigue and suspense, it is certainly one of ominous calm. Clooney, whilst naturally fine, is playing a character that is hard to empathise with.

You do not know whether Jack (or Edward) is good or evil and, as you already know he is cold, and it is hard to feel for him until he reveals his feelings. With this being said, The American a thoughtful, engaging and skilfully crafted thriller.