When it's over, thank goodness it's over. The American tries to be artistic, but fails to hit the mark. Yes, it's got beautiful Italian scenery, and the mood of loneliness and isolation is right on, but everything else just lags and drags. George Clooney plays Jack, an assassin hiding out in Italy after a previous job goes sour. While romancing a local prostitute, he agrees to take on one last assignment. The storyline of the assassin growing a conscience and wanting to get out of the business is so overused that it's become uninteresting. The director took a fresh approach by telling the story from a dramatic and emotional point of view versus action based. I think it would have worked with the right actor, a strong supporting actor, and a tighter storyline. Much of the film showed Jack alone, quiet, and pensive, suggesting perhaps the inner struggles of a man who is finally coming to terms with the consequences of his career. Clooney may be a superstar off camera, but he didn't soar as Jack, and he lacked the emotional intensity needed to transmit his character's feelings of loneliness, regret, paranoia, isolation, and love to the viewer. Great assassin films such as The Professional, La Femme Nikita,The Day of the Jackal, and even The Bourne Identity, had solid storylines and strong character backstories which bridged the emotional link between screen and audience.
My rating: 1.5 out of 5
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