Rating of
3.5/4
The hated masterpiece.
memento_mori - wrote on 05/02/13
The American is something special to me. It's a movie I watched at a time where I would never watch a film like this, and it still captivated me for some reason. With two more repeat viewings, I realized why that was.
A lot of people will laugh when I type this, but I consider this his best performance to date. It is quiet, dark and problematic, almost reflecting the type of mood and tone the film was setting. You don't need to be able to shout and cry to be considered a good actor in my book. It's about making a connection to the audience, and Clooney definitely was something different entirely. Taste varies, I suppose.
The landscapes and cinematography are stunning. Especially the first twenty minutes were just a masterpiece of direction, in my humble opinion.
There are entire scenes in this film with no dialogue. Just Clooney sitting, chewing gum or walking and still managing to leave such a great lasting impression. This is the main argument for the movie's hatred: It's Boring. I respectfully disagree, I think it's intelligent. If only people were diligent enough to use their functioning brain halves and think about the little things.
It just felt like a huge gulp of fresh air. I've become severely tired of generic action films and $5 thrillers. I can't remember the last time when two characters just sat down to eat an Italian dinner for a few minutes. Why does everything have to be convenient for viewers? Why do you want constant rampaging?
With almost no dialogue or action and a great handful of atmosphere and tension, the American surprised every bone in my body and had me marveling at its beauty for ages after it was over.
To those who didn't like it: There's more to it. I promise you.
