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"American' a foreign concept

The latest George Clooney film lacks sufficient exposition and dialogue.

By Chase Koeneke

Published Sept. 17, 2010

I believe the context in which you see a movie is very important to the overall enjoyment of the film. A movie like "The Hangover" is best watched with a group of like-minded friends. A movie like "The Exorcist" should be watched in complete darkness. Some movies should be watched solo, and "The American" is definitely one of them.

I went to Forum 8 for a 9:45 p.m. screening. I was the only person in the whole theater. Rows upon rows of empty seats surrounded me. I peeked up and waved at the cute projectionist. She waved back and started the film a little bit early for me. Very nice of her, but I really wish she had warned me instead.

"The American" is intriguing, fascinating and, well, downright boring. So little happens in the 105 minutes of the film, yet you and George Clooney go through quite a lot together. It's the ultimate contradiction and has me scratching my head on exactly how to review it.

It definitely doesn't hold your hand. In fact, "The American" tries to abandon you in the woods like Hansel and Gretel's mom. And that breadcrumb trail you left is pretty much useless. From what I could piece together, Clooney is some kind of spy just trying to find a place to settle down and get out of the game. That's all I got after an hour and a half of observation. No narration, no exposition, no monologues, no nothing. Hell, there's not even much music. At least 50 percent of the film is music-less, leaving Clooney -- and you -- alone with his thoughts.

And though that is painfully dull, it's also extremely interesting. Being so in the dark about the plot and characters makes you analyze every little detail, trying to discover a hint of a clue about who Clooney is, what his motivations are and who the people around him are.

The issue comes when you learn there's nothing to find and you've just been wasting your time. "The American" asks so much of you as an audience member, but gives you so little in return. And that's why it fails.

The best comparison I can make is to the 2008 film "The Wrestler." In that movie, Mickey Rourke is able to convey -- without monologue -- the trials and tribulations of a professional wrestler to a mass audience while leaving lots of little references for those in the know. You might have heard real professional wrestlers cried when seeing it because it reminded them so much of their daily struggles.

"The American" is like that, but for spies. We can see how Clooney's constant paranoia affects him, but we can't really understand the magnitude of his situation. Only a person in his position can gain access to all the little secrets I'm sure are buried within.

Watching the film by yourself gives you a slight insight on the situation (which is why if you are dead set on seeing "The American," you should go alone), but it hardly makes up for the fact we as the general audience are not spies, and therefore, "The American" is not for us. It's a shame, though. The acting is well done, what music there is works and the cinematography is brilliant. But until you get your license to kill, it might be best to leave "The American" be.