The American

(MA) Universal DVD/BD

George Clooney rarely plays dour and uninteresting; he seems to do well in roles that are witheringly self-deprecating or delightfully dysfunctional such as his recent film The Men Who Stare at Goats.

So to see him moping about the screen as an American assassin for hire is a bit of a disappointment.

After a job in Sweden goes awry, Jack (Clooney) retreats to the Italian countryside where he accepts the friendship of a local priest and pursues a liaison with a beautiful woman. So far, so Euro-arthouse.

Less thriller, more glacial existential drama, there are a few meaningful religious discussions about the meaning of life, but the whole affair could have benefited from some action and suspense.

While the film sports a brave, spare performance from Clooney, one can’t get past the art house pretension wrapped up in what transpires as a cliché ridden, suspense-free viewing experience.

Adrian Drayton