A Most Wanted Man (2014)

[baumer]

Discuss

[baumer]

If you ever want to watch a movie just for the acting, this is it.  Hoffman might be the greatest actor to ever live.  His passing was so tragic because we will never get to see another incredible performance from him again.  This is one of his last and he doesn't disappoint.  Frankly, the entire cast, including Rachel McAdams and Robin Wright are stellar.

 

The film is a good one and it is based on a John LeCarre novel, and if there is anyone who knows his spy stuff, it's him.  I didn't care for the downer ending but the slow build and the character development is a treat to watch.

 

9/10

[Jake Gittes]

Hoffman's performance and the ending are the only worthwhile elements here. It's clear that the point is to show just how unglamorous, exhausting and little-rewarding the actual spy work is, but Corbijn couldn't keep himself from making it a boring film, period. It's fairly plain visually and mostly devoid of any genuine feeling of stakes or suspense - I never read the book, but the nature of Dobrygin's character was clear to me from the start, so all that's left is the question of whether Hoffman gets screwed over in the end. It also completely wastes Willem Dafoe and Daniel Bruhl (frankly, I don't remember the latter speaking a single word in the film, he just stares at monitors the whole 2 minutes he's onscreen), and it's never more terribly slow-moving than during the several scenes of McAdams (playing a clichéd one-dimensional good-intentioned lawyer type) and Dobrygin sitting around in an empty apartment. I was no fan of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, but if given a choice, I'd much rather watch that again. 

[Cmasterclay]

Absolutely loved it until the ending, which almost rendered the entire film moot. Brilliantly acted and constructed spy thriller that was just freaking fascinating (I love the inner workings of intelligence community) and well-made. But that nihilist, pointless ending, where no one is redeemed and the only point is "everything is pointless" just infuriated me. 

[baumer]

Absolutely loved it until the ending, which almost rendered the entire film moot. Brilliantly acted and constructed spy thriller that was just freaking fascinating (I love the inner workings of intelligence community) and well-made. But that nihilist, pointless ending, where no one is redeemed and the only point is "everything is pointless" just infuriated me. 

 

Basically it says the US is fucking evil and does whatever the fuck it wants.

[Jake Gittes]

This ending is the only fitting one I can imagine. If everything went fine in the end it would've rendered the whole film entirely pointless. 

[Cmasterclay]

I certainly don't think it should have gone off without a hitch- without SOME conflict. But the ending of him driving a few blocks, getting out of the car, and walking away to silence is as unsatisfying as it gets.

[GeneralKong]

I enjoyed Corbijn's first two films and this is another great addition to his filmography. The attention it pays to the characters allows the audience to become invested in the outcome, regardless of what lies ahead, and I really liked the slowly escalating tension over the course of the second half. A downbeat and refreshingly subtle depiction of the perils of foreign intelligence in the post 9/11 age, with a powerhouse performance from Hoffman. 

 

9/10

[Jake Gittes]

I dunno what kind of conflict could there be. The man got screwed over by those above him and he knows it. The power of the ending lies precisely in the fact that walking away is the only thing he can ultimately do, no matter how angry and disappointed he is. 

[JohnnyGossamer]

Solid. Old school. Slooooooooooooooooooooooooooow burn, pot boiler. Likeable, well-intentioned, classy espionage trope. But, aside from Hoffman, pretty mundane. Lacks the snap, crackle and pop of the greats. B-/B.

[Blankments]

Wasn't a fan of the ending, but it fit the tone of the movie definitely. Hoffman gives a brilliant performance, but everyone does a great job, even though I couldn't shake Claire Underwood from Robin Wright. Very tense, slow burn thriller that's ultimately very enjoyable. A

 

Oh, but also, LOL at Bruhl randomly being in the movie

Edited August 28, 2014 by Blankments

[The Panda]

Hoffman was the silver lining of this movie, without him it's incredibly dull and I was fighting to keep myself awake (Which is fairly rare when I watch movies).  It leads nowhere, not that I have a problem with nihilist themes, I love Pulp Fiction so that's obviously not a problem, but the film itself goes nowhere.  It doesn't need to have excitement, but it does need to be able to keep you interested and invested, and it honestly doesn't.  The production values aren't bad, but with the exception of Hoffman, nothing sticks out and it left me feeling rather indifferent.  I can't completely discredit the film, because none of the production values are really bad, but with the exception of Hoffman nothing stands out.  Ultimately, I feel like this will be rather forgettable.  C+

[bartonfink]

Dry espionage about tranquil anxiety in post 9/11 world. Bitter drama about offsprings who wish ardent atonement for fathers's sins and old veteran's tiredness & disillusionment. But most of all, Philip Seymour Hoffman's melancholy farewell. Elegant film.

 

 

PS. That 'signature scene' in the last act was awesome. What a suspense.

[Blankments]

Interestingly enough I found myself more enthralled on a rewatch, although there are certainly still dry spots. An enjoyable slow thriller with an intriguing plot and a great performance by PSH. A-

[department store basement]

"SIT THE FUCK DOWN...lawyer. Fuckin' social worker for terrorists."

 

If anyone makes a list about movies better than the books they're based on, A Most Wanted Man should be near the top.

 

A lot of le Carre fans say that A Most Wanted Man is one of his worst books, sacrificing intensity for pages of irrelevant exposition (I agree with this criticism of the book). Thankfully, the movie rectifies that problem by limiting the exposition to what's relevant to the plot, even though it keeps the book's slow pace.

 

It's a genuinely chilling thriller. I'd be so scared to live in the miserable-looking Hamburg of this movie or have my life kicked around by the well-meaning but harsh Bachmann, played brilliantly by Philip Seymour Hoffman in his last leading role. The other actors are excellent as well, especially Rachel McAdams and Willem Dafoe who really disappear into their characters. And Benoit Delhomme's cinematography is strikingly effective at capturing bleakness.

 

But the main reason why I love this film is that I'm so glad there's a film out there that criticizes the CIA's overly prejudiced tactics this well. This couldn't have been written or directed by an American.

 

A-

Edited February 11, 2016 by department store basement