George Clooney 'The American,' reviews - what do the critics think? -- George Clooney's new film, The American, based on the 1990 novel by Martin Booth titled A Very Private Gentleman, opened on Wednesday, September 1 and filmmakers hope to attract the Labor Day weekend audience. What do the critics think of Mr. Clooney's latest venture? Books on Film provides a summary and sample comments for you below.
According to the review collector, RottenTomatoes.com, The American ranks 59% to date among its 115 counted reviews; 63% among those it calls "Top Critics." Over at Metacritic.com, they give the film a 62 "Metascore" from 35 counted reviews, which gives it their label, "generally favorable."
What are the critics saying? We have a sampling of their comments about the movie below. Click on their publications to read full reviews.
A. O. Scott, New York Times:
"The American is never less than gorgeous. And the oblique approach it takes to what is a fairly standard plot creates a mood of suspense quickened by the accelerated heartbeat of Herbert Grönemeyer’s unobtrusive music."
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times:
"Here is a gripping film with the focus of a Japanese drama, an impenetrable character to equal Alain Delon's in Le Samourai, by Jean-Pierre Melville."
Mary F. Pols, TIME:
"Surely the dreariest thriller of the year."
Dana Stevens, Slate:
"If you're willing to let go of your Hollywood-bred expectations for a movie of this type, The American is a great pleasure to watch, an astringent antidote to the loud, frantic action movies that have been clogging our veins all summer."
Mark Olsen, Village Voice:
"Despite its director's disinterest in letting people in, there is nevertheless something exciting about a movie this uncompromised, in which the big change from the book to the screen actually toughens up the story instead of watering it down."
Kirk Honeycutt, Hollywood Reporter:
"What did George Clooney see in this script?"
The American opened on the Wednesday before Labor Day weekend to a $1.6 million box office. The film is rated R for "violence, sexual content and nudity."
Daniel Johnson, Raleigh Indie Movie Examiner:
"When Clooney kills 3 people before the opening credits one may think we’re in for a pulsating bloody thriller, but this film is more contemplative than that with a slow yet thoroughly engrossing pace."
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Connie Ann Kirk is a published author of more than 10 books and holds a Ph.D. in English. She is currently working on a novel and a screenplay. See all of Connie's National Examiner Arts & Entertainment columns at these pages: Books on Film, Literature, Emily Dickinson, and Young Adult Pop Culture. Feel free any time to also check out her website, www.connieannkirk.com.
Email Connie any time at: ConnieAnnKirkOnExaminer@gmail.com.
Comments
OMG! I haven't been that bored in a long time. During the longer very unnecessary sex scene an older couple up and left the theater and I was longing to be their daughter and go with them. You never like the main character (was his actual name Jack?) because you don't learn a thing about him except that he probably doesn't sleep well. I had a good nap during this snoozer! George should eat a few cannolis while he's in Italy because he looks a bit too scrawny.
I don't understand how anybody could have truly liked this movie, I know both I and the entire theatre that watched it at the same time I did gave the same resulting "boo" at the end.
The movie hardly has much storyline development, let alone character development. They have taken the "Mysterious main character" cliche to excess and given you an empty portrait of a seemingly nameless character with no past. You're given no full information and you're expected to draw your own opinion and understanding of him. You're barely given a full explanation of what his position even is.
The entire movie barely has 100 English words spoken in it, it is mainly filled with repetitive scenes of walking up and down (what looks to be) the same pathway in Italy every time, and the "action" scenes involved are short lived and nearly pointless. It is hardly suspenseful as the movie is far too calm and quiet to have time for suspense to build.
To make it even worse, they added a 10 minute long sex scene of soft-core porn proportions, awkwardly placed in the middle of the movie with absolutely no significance other than to tell the audience that Clooney's character has apparently fallen for this prostitute. Was this really required?
I think there was a lot of potential for this movie, but none of it's potential, not even a fraction of the amount, was used in it. How any critics can say nice things about me makes me believe they must be neo-artistic pigs who are attempting to like whatever the newest trend is.
I had no expectations, and walked away feeling like I had just seen a modern foreign film. The pace was so "un-american" that it was really something different. Definitely not an "edge-of-your-seat" thriller, but an artistic, slow, solitary, introspective walk thru an old-time foreign suspense movie. It was artful, so many folks might not have the patience for it...
Have to say though, Clooney is becoming a pretty good actor - no typical mugging at the camera here, just a wide range of believable responses to unusual circumstances.
Absolutely the darkest movie I have seen in a very long time!! George Clooney wasn't even fun to look at In this one.I left the theater feeling much worse than when I went in.
I think George Clooney is a very talented and gifted actor. He is beyond what this film seemed to portray! This is the worst and darkest movie I have ever seen. If you want to see a depressing/dark film with a twist of sexual desires from Clooney's character and co-stars, then go see this film. Otherwise, DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME AND MONEY!!!! Terrible. Very Unamerican in my humble opinion.
Absolutely dreadful. It was a mission to make it through this tragedy. No plot or backstory. I spent most of the film wondering why any of this was happening.
This movie was absolutely the most boring movie I ever saw. I can't believe George Clooney accepted this role.
complete and utter bollox- just watched it on DVD
I can onlu imagine that Clooney took this on so that he could spend time in Italy where he has a villat at Lake Garda- and maybe he thought that it would come out alright
To be honest I have just thrown the DVD of the Balcony on the 4th floor in my aprtment in Phuket in Thailand
The biggest pile of nonsense I ahve ever seen- no script-cast-suspense-storyline-ending
what a load of rubbish.........and how much did he get paid for that crap
he should be deducted on his next film by the same amount
what is it with these big time movie actors when they move from- what people want to see to their own little 'Fantasy Worlds'
like they are some sort of Artists etc
like madonna when she did her book
and PRINCE now a Symbol
and Clooney with the American
really shite film for me
and he should give his fee to some charity
for good causes
xx
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