We don't know his past. We don't know his motives. His boss calls him Jack, while others call him Edward, yet the majority of people judge him simply as the out-of-place American. As an assassin hiding out in Italy for one final assignment, George Clooney controls his elusive character in "The American" with meticulous intensity and indefinable mystery.
Whether he is alone or surrounded by company, his character remains separated and stone-faced. While part of the film is about unraveling the vagueness behind this final assignment, we are simultaneously witnessing the hidden vulnerability of the man behind the gun.
Based on the novel "A Very Private Gentleman" by Martin Booth, Clooney's character is exactly what the title suggests. Much of the film's inception is Clooney by himself: quick-cut scenes showing his day-by-day activities of working out, driving, walking, and intricately planning the details of his assignment. When he finally interacts with other characters, the dialogue is terse, yet every word seems important once uttered.
"The American" is essentially a silent affair; actions speak louder than words as scrupulously crafted scenes creep slowly toward the movie's revealing climax. It is like watching a bomb with no timer, knowing an explosion is bound to occur any second. Now that is the true definition of suspense.
While anxiety resonates strongly in "The American," the film is all about the subtlety of its main character and the steady revelation of his weaknesses — hidden tortures Clooney's callous face rarely chooses to disclose. Having being introduced to this character at such a late stage in his life and career, the fact that his characterization is an absolute enigma goes without saying.
Some will leave with contrasted interpretations of who this man really is and what he represents. A priest (Paulo Bonacelli) tells the American he must know what hell is, because he lives in it. It must be agonizing to live a life filled with constant loneliness, the repercussion of a career choice that goes hand-in-hand with lifelong isolation.
With this type of filmmaking within this genre of film, there are tortoises and there are hares. This film, the tortoise, lingers carefully in suspenseful territory and unveils its big guns within the final minutes of the running time.
Unlike the hares of similar genres, "The American" cares about creating tension and maintaining it, rather than obliterating the audience with superfluous substance. Slow and steady wins the race, and "The American" prevails.
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Greg Vellante is a graduate of North Andover High School who is currently attending UMass Lowell. He has been reviewing and writing about movies for The Eagle-Tribune since 2007.
