Jason Clauson

(2012-04-27 02:54:36)

Very Predictable

I have just come back from a trip to NY where I saw The American.I wasprompted to go and see it by much publicity for the film on TV. Yes theaction that is in the movie is well done and convincing but therewasn't enough .. and the biggest problem was that I had worked out theending half way through. .. not good for a thriller!!! The tension andfeeling of mistrust was there but just not developed well enough. Justnot enough of a story for my liking, no real explanation as to why, noteven a suggestion as to why, Clooney's character is being targeted byanyone let alone the person who does {won't spoil it here} but thewhole plot was thinner than rice paper. Not great .. just OK

(2012-04-26 15:02:51)

For movie fans with no patience, boring; for fans of cinematic grace, a fine film

This is NOT an action film, or even remotely Hollywood in any way; it's a quiet character study. So don't watch it if, like many of the reviewers here, you need Action! Thrills! Excitement! Combining the slow, peaceful feel of '60s and '70s European cinema with Leone's Man With No Name series, The American works due to Clooney's finely measured performance and director Anton Corbijn's gorgeous sense of composition and light. I picked up this blu-ray (a sweet transfer with a fair but short doc and a few deleted scenes as extras) when I saw Corbijn's name, as I've loved his photography since seeing his first album covers in the late '70s, and his classic Art Of Noise Beat Box video in 1983. His work for U2 around The Joshua Tree era was iconic, and he's done so much gorgeous art I figured this would at least look good. And that it does, very much so. The splendid Italian Abruzzo hill country makes this film come alive, and the many fine supporting actors bring a solid sense of realism to the proceedings. Which is why a few blown details were rather irking.. [Spoilers...] I just can't buy that after a bunch of shots, a crashed car with a dead man inside and shot-out windows and tires, along with an innocent local shot to death up the street, nobody is around to look, nor that the police don't have the town swarmed the next day. And why does the gun blow up at the end? Did George do it on purpose? And falling in love with the hooker didn't really gel either. But oh well, I guess you just have to take what you get. And most of what we get here is very good indeed. As long as you're not waiting on a murder a minute like most modern thrillers, you'll get many fine moments here, including a nice opening shock. Ultimately, this is very much a European film, not even vaguely Hollyweird, and that's a lot of what's so good about it. The American is for film fans who appreciate quiet beauty as much or more than thrills and spills.

aristofanis

(2012-04-24 21:42:24)

Crafted build up

Some here have labeled this movie 'European' or 'Art-House' and someoneeven called it 'foreign', whatever that may mean... Perhaps moviescoming out of Hollywood these days are so facsimile to each other informat that people have been conditioned what to expect. Personally, Ithink it is a Hollywood movie where the director had a few freedoms toproduce a more personal work. A good movie. Nothing more or less. Andjust as Hollywood is capable of the worst, it is also capable of thebest. There is a consistency in style, a very crafty build-up, constantsuspense and mystery, a very good depiction of modern day rural Italy,and some existential questions as Clooney exchanges words with the twoopposite poles of wisdom: a priest and a prostitute. We don't know muchabout the main character and what the purpose of his 'final job' is butthat doesn't seem to be the matter the movie delves with. We are notasked to sympathise with him or hate him but see him make that slightbut ever important transformation where he will have to love andtherefore trust and become fragile and human.There are some plot parts that may not work. I.e. how come the policehave never approached him after the two deaths in the village (motorcyclist and Swedish predator) when even the priest has suspected him.Or, how would Mathilde get away with assassinating him in a crowdedchurch square etc. I am also not sure if the chosen ending wasnecessary. Personally, I would have had the crowd chase and surroundthe sophisticated Mathilde and her boss with hunting rifles! That wouldhave been surprising and triumphant and would have added a humoroustwist rather than melodrama.

(2012-04-24 08:38:28)

No Class

Unless you are a real Clooney fan (and I admit I am not), there is no reason to see this film. I guess liking soft porn might be a second reason, but the last. While the scenery is amazing, there is no psychological depth, or any other depth, to be seen here.

(2012-04-11 10:11:17)

Empty Promise

In the 1950s, Miles Davis introduced something called modal music. A simple melody was the foundation for highly skilled and creative musicians to solo around. I assume that was the concept behind this flick. A simple, uncomplicated story: a highly competent assassin loses his taste for the job, falls in love with a prostitute, then, well the ending (I won't spoil it). OK, pretty mundane story, I thought this was to be the backdrop for some pretty serious acting chops to be offered. Umph, wrong! Clooney and company were not up to the challenge if that was in fact the idea. After chatting a bit with my wife after it was over, I suddenly realized why this movie was really made. It was a tax write off for Clooney's Italian Villa. Two stars only for the beautiful Italian country side. Bottom line: skip this dreadfully boring, journeyman level exercise in acting and film making.

archiecm

(2012-04-11 04:08:06)

I needed more than this.

No, I didn't expect a Bourne Identity kind of film. I doubt Clooneywould be in such a film. I did like the story line--I was caught up inEdward's job, who he was working for and who wanted him dead. Thosequestions went unanswered for the most part. There were too manyunanswered questions for me. The other critics saw a budding love story with the prostitute. Ididn't see it at all. He never told her anything. Hardly even had funwith her outside of the sheets. They were so formal with each otherthat she felt awkward accepting a restaurant rose because "people willthink we're a couple." I never saw a bond. Edward thought there was onebecause he asked her to go away with him but I chalked that up toextreme loneliness. He didn't even know her. Also, he photographed hertalking to two thugs or so they seemed. He must have been starting tolose it because he never even asks her what that was all about. And ifhe is falling for her . . . isn't it a sign of real love if you feelyou can ask your partner about something that's bothering you? Healmost shot her for God's sake!The best scenes for me were with the clergyman. The latter seemed tosense the trouble Edward was in. But Edward wasn't about to change hisways. And come on! Everyone knows you can't "get out" of a trade likethat . . . . especially if YOU ANNOUNCE that you're leaving. That'ssuicide.But the biggest disappointment was the new hand-built rifle. We're allwondering who it will be used on. It turns out it was almost used onEdward . . . . and used by the very woman who ordered it. It would havebeen ridiculous if the gun was meant to kill HIM all along. Guess I'llhave to read the book and see if the original target is disclosed. Butwhen Edward announced his plans to quit HE became the new target. Andthe order to kill him was by Edward's white haired boss. So whathappened? The redhead gets shot from behind before she can finish offEdward but by whom? It can't be by the white haired boss who'd justordered the hit. That would make no sense. But after this mysteriouskilling of the redhead, the white haired boss and Edward kill eachother. Where is the person who shot the redhead? I cared whom it was.Wasn't I supposed to? I know Roger Ebert saw a zen tale of efficiencyhere, done in by love. I didn't see it.

thefozzinator

(2012-04-10 12:07:39)

I can't believe I didn't go see a different movie.

This movie started out good. There was a 3-4 minute action seen at thebeginning of the movie. It seemed like it was going to be an enjoyablemovie to watch. However, after the exciting opening scene to the movie,the movie changed pace. George Clooney spent the rest of the moviedriving around in his car, walking around observing, being alone in hisapartment, driving around a little more, and walking around yet again,alone. The movie was absolutely boring. Barley anything happened duringthe movie. There was extremely low to no action and very littledialogue. The plot of this movie was very poorly developed. Since themovie was about an assassin(George Clooney) who was always watching hisback in fear of being assassinated himself, the movie had potential tobe very good. While I was watching the movie it seemed as if thedirector actually thought that, since George Clooney was in the movieand there were a few full-body female nude scenes, that it would makethe movie good. However, it takes more than a good actor and a few nudescenes to make a good movie. From the reaction of others in the theatre, I feel pretty strongly thati'm not the only person who feels they should of been paid to sitthrough 'The American', rather than pay to see it. There were severalpeople who left during the movie and did not return. Once the movie wasover and the credits started to roll, people actually started laughingat the movie, and this was no comedy. All around you could hearcomments like "That movie sucked", "Worst movie I've ever seen", etc...I think some people actually had to be woken up after the movie wasover, but at least they had a good nap, an expensive nap at that.For those of you who have seen the movie, do you agree with me and allthe other people who thought this movie was horrible? And if youhaven't seen the movie, you are one of the lucky ones.

(2012-04-10 02:26:42)

A complete waste

I went to see this movie with a group of 12 guys(not including myself) after a couple weeks of intense training in the swamps around Norfolk. We all voted on what movie we should go see, Almost everyone voted for "The American". So we all get up thier spend our $10 dollars on a ticket and $6 bucks on snacks and drinks.(So we spend ~$200) Let me tell you, do not go see this movie. The 30 seconds of action in the trailer, Is all the action in the entire movie. And it does NOT have a good storyline to make up for it.(I am not at all an action movie junkie, If I want action I jump out of helicopters in real life.) Out of 13 guys, 9 were sleeping.(Unfortunatly I was not lucky enough to be able to fall asleep. It is the one time I regret having insomnia.) The entire movie is spent with you watching Clooney walk around some (desolate, aparently no extras were hired) small italian village. You watch him drive around a small italian village (Again, No other cars on the road). You watch Clooney slowely assemble and design parts for an improvised firearm(Again, You just watch all the tedious long boreing actions of him makeing each individual piece). You watch Clooney make love to a prostitute(Which Ironically, You only see ~13 seconds of). You watch him do many more tedious things as he pitters around. There is maybe 14 minutes of people actually talking in this movie. The ENTIRE movie is spent watching Clooney pitter around town. Thats it. Thats what the theater made $200 bucks on. I will, and you can quote me on this, NEVER see another Clooney movie. I've had more fun trying to sleep on my H-Gear in a dilapadated building while stareing at the poisin ivy across the (4 foot) room. I understand movies show some of the most exciting parts in thier marketing, I get that. I'd do the same. But, they literally show you the only 30 seconds worth watching. Save your money even if your a diehard Clooney fan, and you've watched all the Oceans movies 50 times over while fantasizeing. Seriously, Even you will fall asleep.

meanmaan

(2012-04-04 05:14:41)

not even worth to watch for free!

I was really excited as the trailer, and reviews, looked promising. ButThe movie was a disgrace, a waste of money, and total waste of time!Its really not even worth to watch for free! The story is an old story,with a known ending, when the movie finished in the end it keeps youfrustrated and angry and to be frank you don't know how to react to theending.. I can't believe the good reviews of this film. I go to a lotof movies and enjoy a lot of the slow, thoughtful well made movies thatmany people find boring. But this is not one of them! There is noscript or story - you don't relate to the characters at all and theending is so naive and predictable!!

(2012-04-03 22:34:02)

For men who stare at Clooney (staring back at us)

In this movie Clooney stares at you and you stare back at him for 90% of the time.In between scenes, to keep your attention, they show him having sex with Claire (Violante Placido), boobs exposed etc etc.And in the end he kills the big-bad guy who is trying to kill him and dies.Havent watched such a turd of a movie in a long time!

(2012-03-25 19:48:53)

Liked it but it didn't make sense.

I liked the movie, but it didn't really make sense. Who was the original target for the female assassin? If it was Clooney whey go through the entire process of making the gun etc? She could have killed him a dozen times anytime.I like to think the priest for some reason was the original target, but then it changed after Jack said 'he as out'. Why else would she be at the procession? How could she possibly know he would be there?

josta1

(2012-03-25 16:56:42)

George Clooney's Snore Fest

In my thinking, George Clooney only does films like these to get agreat vacation. How could he think this would help his career? He justcame off a very good performance in "Up In The Air", to do somethingwith very little dialog and so little action, it puts people to sleep.I personally saw 3 people heads nodding off a few times. and as for thescript, where was the back story? was he an assassin or a weaponcraftsman? was he a good guy or bad guy? How many other girlfriends hashe killed? For those who think this might be a Jason Bourne/MichaelClayton Film, as I did, think again. "The American" has maybe 3-4 goodaction scenes. This might have been a good movie had it been a Bournemovie set 15 years after the trilogy ended. But it isn't. This justseems to start in the middle and ends with HUH? And in between you getto see lots of Italy's country side.All in all, you want good action, go see "Takers". If you want a travellog, go see "The American".

(2012-03-18 20:50:47)

A Movie That Stays With You

This review is from: The American (Amazon Instant Video) Very well done movie....I see why George Clooney chose to be in the film. And Clooney delivers a very deep character that only Clooney can pull off. If you watched Michel Clayton, then you will see glimpses of that portrayal in this movie too. It's more about what is not being said and the underlying feelings and currents that makes this movie exceptional. You actually have to pay attention to nuances instead of being spoonfed. I watched this movie 2 months ago, and it echoes even now. If you are looking for an action, knock 'em sock 'em type of movie then this isn't it. If you are looking for a heavy duty plot like Inception, then this isn't it. But, if you are looking for a movie that delves inside a man caught between what should be and what is...Man against himself, Man against Nature and Man against Man...then you will love this movie. And from an artist's viewpoint, this is a masterpiece. Well done!

James

(2012-03-18 07:29:41)

Clooney Takes A Hit For This One

Absolutely dreadful! Do not see this movie! What a waste of time & money spent on this effort. The movie was slow, somewhat predictable and had scenes that were unneccesary. No character development at all. The only good thing was seeing the nude prostitute. This just goes to prove that George Clooney can't carry a movie by himself. After the movie was over, a woman sitting two rows back could be heard saying, "That sucked!" I couldn't agree more. The previews were very misleading. Instead of suspense & intrigue, we got a dull & listless movie. Don't even waste your time and money when it goes to DVD.

(2012-03-10 19:40:03)

DVD Cover Should Show a Snail

After Solaris I promised myself I'd never pay to see another Clooney movie and I wish I'd kept that promise. The opening scene was promising then Clooney showed up to drive his car for 10 excruciating long minutes before getting out and looking around at three strangers, climbing back in his car and driving again. The WHOLE movie was like watching your dishwasher go through it's cycles, but even that would be more interesting. Clooney looks 60ish and he must've done this movie to be able to have sex with a young woman. DVD Cover shows him running. LOL. Never (except at the very end). Never did the movie explain WHY his boss wanted to kill him. Never did it explain why the girl his boss hired to Clooney killed her. Don't waste your money even when it comes out on PPV or DVD.

Colin George

(2012-03-10 05:06:12)

A Minimalist James Bond

"The American" is defiantly quiet. When it began, the hum of thetheater fan was louder than its ambiance track. The audience shifted intheir creaky chairs as the camera crawled toward a snow-covered cabin.The silence permitted me a unique opportunity to reflect on how loudmovies have become.The comparative whisper of Anton Corbijn's "The American" heralds aspy-thriller set so far apart from its "Bourne" brethren that it barelyqualifies as a thriller at all. Certainly not the kind that amainstream audience, baited with an intentionally misleading trailer,had come to see. That it stars George Clooney, one of the most trustedfaces in Hollywood, only rubs salt in the wound. But if you don't havethe patience for it, it's your loss; "The American" is exactly thebreed of careful, confident filmmaking that has become an endangeredspecies in Hollywood.Corbijn makes a bold commitment to his images in an age where theexploits of Jason Bourne and James Bond are obscured by a quiveringcamera and half-second cuts. Atmosphere is everything in thiscontemplative, introverted espionage film, and he lets each frame hanglike a painting. In all, there is probably less than a combined tenminutes of hard action in "The American," but the patient will be farfrom bored.Based on the novel "A Very Private Gentleman" by Martin Booth, the plotostensibly revolves around the construction of a custom rifle, whichadmittedly, is not the most exciting synopsis ever committed to paper.However, due in large part to Clooney's subtle presence, and seenthrough Corbijn's keen eye, even the methodic weapon-construction isriveting to watch. His character is further revealed through hisrelationship with two decidedly asimilar characters, a priest (PaoloBonacelli) and a prostitute (Violante Placido).The performance isn't especially nuanced or layered, but Clooney bringsan effective solemnity to the title role. Besides his naturalmagnetism, he plays the character like Bond's very antithesis: quiet,lonely, meticulous, paranoid, old. Clooney is refreshing in hisabsolute uncoolness. When his character is forced into action, wearen't given the impression that he derives any enjoyment from what hedoes. He's good at it, but his fear is evident when he's pressed into acompromising situation. Self-preservation is constantly his toppriority, and the exploration of his capacity for trust begets "TheAmerican's" most suspenseful moments.If there is a problem with the film, it's that its propensity forunderstatement is played almost to a fault. It is, after all,ostensibly about the construction of a rifle. The plot is exceedinglysimple, but somehow it feels all the smarter for its bare bonesapproach to the genre. By stripping away the layers of predictable andconvoluted intrigue that pockmark most marginal capers, "The American"presents itself as something far closer to a character study, profilinga particularly solitary assassin.The result is a compelling portrait of isolation, a theme that thetitle indirectly supports. The film takes place almost entirely inAbruzzo, where the nationality of Clooney's character is his soledistinguishing feature. It is only through his bourgeoningrelationships with two unlikely Italians that we come to betterunderstand him. He is repeatedly subjected to the consequences of hispast mistakes, and though he is far from the world's most excitingaction hero, Corbijn is clearly more concerned with empathy thanentertainment.And frankly, we don't get enough of that. "The American" is a filmappreciable probably only to a minority of filmgoers, and unless you'redeliberately in the market for a more downbeat "Bond," myrecommendation comes with an asterisk.But those it ensnares will be quietly appreciative, and when the lightsgo up, the hum of the theater fan will sound deafening.

cg1723

(2012-03-09 23:02:45)

ZZZzzzzzZZZZZzzzzzz

Easily the most tiresome, boring, plot-dragging movie I've ever seen.The best thing about it was it's trailer (which contained all of theaction sequences in the film). This is the only movie I've ever been to that had me seriouslyconsidering asking the theater for a refund when I walked out. I can't get the time back. I hope this saves someone the almost 2 hours(seemed like 15) that would be wasted watching it. By the end of the movie (if you make it that far without falling asleepor leaving the theater for a "bathroom break" never to return) yousimply don't care what happens to the characters. It's frankly toolittle, too late.And P.S. You broke my heart George Clooney, I expect more fromyou...and you should fire your agent.

dm

(2012-03-09 20:36:38)

Wanna be arthouse movie

I read a couple of reviews by critics who liked the movie, saying that it is more of an art house movie and only the sophisticated would appreciate and like it. I happen to usually like artsy movies, but this one missed the mark. Forever filming Clooney just staring is not art. You can see a few changes and Clooney did do a good job of doing what he was supposed to do, but it just didn't flow right. I didn't know what kind of a movie it was ahead of time, except that it was a foreign espionage type of a movie, so I was possibly open to too many possibilities of where the movie was going. It was just too slow and too dragged out. There were too many questions left unanswered. I kept waiting for things to come together and twists to develop but they never did. I can understand that the details weren't the point, but it's ruined when you don't know that to begin with and what you're left with isn't much anyway. Then it's just a bad ending. I don't see any redemption at all. As my dad put it, "And the hooker gets all the money." When it was over I looked at my dad and said, "Are you kidding me?" He said, "I want my money back." The person behind me said, "Suuuucked," and a couple passing commented on how happy they were that they didn't pay full price for their ticket.Also, there was a lot of nudity in the movie, which to me is completely unnecessary.

(2012-03-08 05:45:45)

George Clooney has set his career back 20 years.

This review is from: The American (DVD) This has to be one of the worst movies ever made unless you enjoy watching Mr. Clooney walking. Dialogue is terrible at best and it is a TOTAL DISAPPOINMENT when one thinks what could have been done with the story.

terrysand1

(2012-03-07 20:04:22)

Boring and slow

I can't believe the good reviews of this film. I go to a lot of moviesand enjoy a lot of the slow, thoughtful well made movies that manypeople find boring. But this is not one of them! There is no script orstory - you don't relate to the characters at all. This movie issitting through scene after scene of slow build up to ... slow build upto ... slow build up to ... nothing! Then we see a naked body orsomeone gets shot, then we repeat the slow build up ... you know therest. So boring, such a waste of time. The scenery was OK but even thatwasn't all it could have been. The director focused more on the smallstreets than the beautiful rolling hills. By the way - I love GeorgeClooney but nobody could save this sleeper. Save your money.