THE AMERICAN (Anton Corbijn)
THE AMERICAN is a careful exercise in minimalism. Fans of the spy/assassin genre may get quite a shock with this slowly-paced thriller, but nevertheless the cinematography is marvelous, that is if you are keen on observing spatial relations, framing, and the basics of photography. THE AMERICAN's visual look is neat, precise, and involving. The aerial shots are hypnotic, and that opening credits scene where Clooney's character Jack drives through a tunnel, as Herbert Gronemeyer's score plays on is eerily effective- it's as if Jack has entered the lowest and darkest part of his life, but there is a glimmer of light, and the possibility of a way out, however uncertain. I haven't brought myself for years to watch Corbijn's earlier film, CONTROL (I thought it required a ready mindset) and judging byTHE AMERICAN, I'd say Corbijn really is a filmmaker with a keen eye for detail. What I loved about THE AMERICAN is that Corbijn does not spoon feed the story to us; ...