There's no denying that George Clooney can carry a movie. The man has charisma for days and is elevates a movie's status simply by being in it. The one big complaint about him, of course, is that he plays George Clooney in every movie; there isn't a big difference in his characters from movie to movie. This trend continues in The American but credit where credit is due, he manages to pick films that suit the George Clooney style of acting.
Clooney is Jack, a semi-retired, uh, let's call him an assassin with a possible background in the military. it's never really explained in The American but then again, not much of anything is really explained in this film (more on that in a bit). As was mentioned in the first paragraph, Clooney is Clooney in this one but a much more reticent Clooney. Jack is a stoic man that is constantly looking over his shoulder and can't get too close to anyone. Sounds kind of like Jason Bourne, doesn't it? Point of fact, The American feels like The Bourne Retirement; it's easy to picture Bourne spending his twilight years exactly the Jack is.
The supporting cast is excellent as well. Paolo Bonacelli as the priest who tries to convince Jack to confess his sins; Thekla Reuten as the client for whom Jack builds a rifle; Johan Leysen as Jack's fence; and Violante Placido as the prostitute that Jack falls for. All have very minimal screen time but make the most of it with subdued and magnetic performances.
The reason their roles are minimal is because Clooney gets about 90% of the screen time in The American. During that 90%, he doesn't do much of anything except walk around, build a gun, talk to a few people and visit a prostitute. Perhaps this was meant to show the lonely existence that Jack leads and if so, director Anton Corbijn was successful. Not only that but the dialogue is also very spaced out. As much as this might sound like it would be excruciating to watch, I found myself riveted. The film is beautifully shot (Cinematographer Martin Ruhe does a stunning job) and even though nothing appears to be happening in most scenes, it still feels like tension is building the entire time. Corbijn is primarily known for directing music videos but in The American he shows a very deft ability to craft a finely tuned film. Hopefully more feature films are in his future.
As much as I liked The American, it's not one that I would recommend you check out in theaters. It's something most people have to be in the mood for so you're most likely waiting for it to hit DVD. However, if you're in the mood for an excellently crafted adult drama-suspense-thriller, be sure to head to the Cinemagic in Hooksett or Merrimack.
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