The American: A Quick Review

I never fully expected to see The American. It had a lame title, I've never really pictured George Clooney as an action star, and there was no buzz during the release of this film. I can say that they marketed this film wrong because it was not an action film.

The American is about an assassin/gun maker. He is staying in a little Italian village waiting for orders. Eventually he gets orders to build a weapon for someone. Along the way he falls in love and develops a really odd friendship with a Catholic priest. Also, some Swedish people are trying to kill him for unexplained reasons.

It's kind of straightforward, but then again it isn't. If that sounds confusing than I agree. The best part about The American is George Clooney. This is the first film I remember watching where I didn't feel like I was watching George Clooney. I really felt like he had gotten in to his character. He isn't cocky and self assured and is funneling the paranoid version of himself from Burn After Reading without the comedy. There is nothing new here but George Clooney was enjoyable.

1 and a half out of 4 stars

-Christopher O'Connell