The American

George Clooney plays a hitman looking to get out of the business. As always in these types of films, the bosses have the idea that the way to retire an employee is to permanently retire them. After all, don't hitmen employees always "know too much"? However, this is not really an action film where Clooney resists attempts on his life and crushes the opposition. It is really more of a cross between Lost in Translation (depressed man looking for life change) and Memory of a Killer (assassin getting Alzheimer's and developing a moral limit). Clooney works "one last job" and uses it as a way to develop his exit strategy. He finds a girl and works quietly on his own on the job. The dialogue is sparse and yet the film never drags. It is not an extravagant film, and is as full of cliche's as any other action thriller, but nonetheless enjoyable on a slow afternoon.
3 stars (out of 5)