O Homem Mais Procurado

The final moments of Anton Corbijn's latest film A Most Wanted Man are both gratifying and poetic. Starring an impeccable cast that includes the late Philip Seymour Hoffman, Rachel McAdams, Willem Dafoe, and Robin Wright, the film is based on the novel by John le Carré, and is a tension-driven and smartly paced thriller ride that makes a mark as one of the year's best rides.

A movie that is more in the vein of an extended episode of "Homeland" than a full-out feature (which is not exactly an insult), is tightly wound, fish hooking the audience with its clever storytelling abilities. Corbijn creates a meticulous and subtle picture that unravels itself with suspense and excitement. The movie challenges the audience in attempting to follow each detail and fully understand what is going on. That might be a turn off to many. Like many of Carré's books that have been translated to film like Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy and The Constant Gardener, there's an aura that exudes from the screen that you want to take home with you. There's so much to the story that happens before the film and starts and long after the movie ends but you're satisfied with that. Adapted by Andrew Bovell, the Australian screenwriter may have penned the film of his career.

The elephant in the room is the performance of Philip Seymour Hoffman. It's very hard to not want the film to end because you are very aware that this will be one of the last times you see a new film by this actor. One of the greatest actors to have ever lived, Hoffman shows exactly why his omission from our world is such a loss. Subtle, electrifying, and profoundly real, Hoffman's "Gunther Bachmann" is an intriguing force that demands the audience's attention with the simplicity of a tone or look. While the tween world waits on the arrival of the final two installments to The Hunger Games, this film felt more of his goodbye to the film community that has appreciated him for over two decades.

One of the pleasant surprises of the film is the beautiful and talented Rachel McAdams, which immediately makes you think, "where has she been?"

While she has been making her rounds in independent films like Passion, About Time, and To the Wonder, her role as "Annabel" shows a deeper talent that is aching to be realized by the right director. Internalizing emotions and releasing only when called upon, McAdams turns in her one of her strongest turns yet. Not your A-typical "damsel in distress" or "unbelievable tough chick," McAdams reinvents a character that could have just laid on the screen with no emotion. She relaxes herself into the role, working well off some of the screen's most gifted performers. It's a magnificent work.

With no real arc or allowance to his character, Willem Dafoe unfortunately distracts for much of the film. Feeling like he's part of the Osborne family again, his role is rather underwritten and a bit of a mystery but not one you're aching to learn more about. Robin Wright utilizes her sensational appeal and charismatic nature to sprinkle a dash of brilliance to the film's narrative. As "Issa," Grigoriy Dobrygin keeps the viewer at a distance, never allowing his true motives to unleash. He constantly asks the viewer to question our own judgment. He is very impressive.

With a gritty yet polished aesthetic, Corbijn knows exactly how he wants his film to look and feel. Using Cinematographer Benoît Delhomme keeps the tension at the very brim of explosion. Composer Herbert Grönemeyer, who also has a role in the film as "Michael," lays out a soothing, relentless score that is both memorable and undeniable.

A Most Wanted Man is smart and precise, an espionage thriller that stands out as one of the best of its kind in quite some time. It's confident in its approach and doesn't shy away from its central purpose. It's a morality tale that engulfs your conscience with terrifying and difficult questions. I don't mind being asked them every now and again. It's one of the year's best.

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Greetings again from the darkness. If you aren't an avid reader of John le Carre' spy novels, perhaps you've seen movie versions such as Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, The Constant Gardener, or The Russia House. If not, how about director Anton Corbijn's previous film The Amercian (2010 with George Clooney)? The more you've read and seen these, the more you are prepared for this latest.

Mr. le Carre' actually was part of MI5 and MI6 (British Intelligence) and uses his experience even so many years ago to provide the type of post 9/11 anti-terrorism spy thriller that doesn't focus on explosions and gun play, but rather the subtleties of communication when very smart people go up against other very smart people who may or may not share their goals. Secrets and misdirection abound. Traps are set, and sly maneuverings are pre-planned.

As if all that weren't enough, how about another mesmerizing performance from the late Philip Seymour Hoffman? He is a master at the top of his craft here. Sure, maybe the German accent is a bit distracting at first, but it was necessary because movie audiences needed a constant reminder that he is not playing an American! I cannot explain how this chain-smoking, mumbling schlub can so dominate a scene and disappear into a character, but Hoffman most certainly does both.

In addition to a very cool script, excellent support work comes from Grigor Dobrygin as Issa, the central figure in Hoffman's character's work, Willem Dafoe as a somewhat shady banker, as well as Robin Wright, Daniel Bruhl, Nina Hoss, Homayoun Ershadi, and Rainer Bock. The only miscast is Rachel McAdams as rich girl turned terrorist sympathizer.

Parts of the score were excellent - the droning, ominous piano notes. The composer was Herbert Gronemeyer, a German rock star (you'd never know from the score). This is a delicious, challenging look at international spies and how one never knows where they fall on the food chain ... minnow, barracuda, shark. http://moviereviewsfromthedark.com/

A Most Wanted Man (2014) was directed by Anton Corbijn. It's based on a novel by John le Carré. The film stars Philip Seymour Hoffman. Basically, that's all you need to know about this movie.

Philip Seymour Hoffman is Günther Bachmann, a self-described spy. (Actually a counter-intelligence agent.) He's involved with a Chechen immigrant who has been tortured. There's money going from Hamburg to terrorists, but no one knows how this money gets there. Somehow the Chechen is involved. On and on it goes, with the German police opposing Günther, the CIA opposing Günther, and everyone betraying everyone else.

Günther is burned out and, essentially, has no life other than being a spy. As far as we can see, he never takes time off, he is interested in nothing other than work, and he has no friends and no colleagues he can trust. Hoffman portrays this part perfectly. No one could have done it as well.

A Most Wanted Man is pure Carré, and pure Hoffman, and that's why you should see it. If you're not impressed with Carré, or not impressed with Hoffman, there's no point going to the film.

We saw the movie on the large screen at the wonderful Dryden Theatre in Rochester, NY. However, it will work just as well on the small screen. No scuba shots, no mountain skiing shots--this isn't James Bond. If you know what to expect--gritty shots of Hamburg, Germany--you won't be disappointed, and the movie will work for you.

Anton Corbijn's tense, moody and brilliant adaptation of John le Carre's novel of the same name. The most fascinating aspect of this film is the fact that, the film being a spy thriller, there isn't a single shot of bullet fired; no dead bodies, no car chases, no stunts, or any such thing. Instead, it's observant, and follows our characters on their trail of a fund linked to a terror organization.

Philip Seymour Hoffman is the reason one should watch it. His character is intriguing and likable, but with this role, talented Mr. Hoffman shows us all the reasons we're going to miss him. This being his last completed film (before his death), combined with the thought-provoking ending, leaves one with a bittersweet feeling once the movie has ended. Like Hoffman himself, his character Gunter pours his heart and soul into only work he knows well. The last scene, with Hoffman's scream of despair, sent shivers down my spine; with the help of the mesmerizing final score, I was fixed to my seat till the credits rolled out. He also elevates the performances of his supporting actors, Willem Dafoe, Robin Wright and Rachel McAdams. German actors Daniel Bruhl and Kostja Ullmann, though present in the film, are not properly utilized.

After the various terror attacks around the world, many International agencies aim to curb it, but the way they get their job done differs from one agency to the other. Trying to do good is not only a difficult path in such scenarios, but often tends to be futile.

A word of caution. It took three viewings of 'A Most Wanted Man' for me to understand and fully appreciate the film. It's the film adaptation of the John LeCarre spy novel and, like many of his stories, it's many layered, many charactered. In short, very complicated, to say the least.

Here's the story. There are two events being monitored by a team of German Intelligence Agents in present day Hamburg, a team led by Philip Seymour Hoffman's character Gunther. (1) An Arab doctor living in Hamburg may be sending money to a terrorist organization; money given to the doctor supposedly for charitable purposes. (2) A young Chechyn man has come to Hamburg to claim his dead father's fortune; he is Muslim and, as such, has been tortured by the Russians. The German Intelligence agents have devised a way to bring the two men together and somehow halt the money's being forwarded to terrorists.

As this is LeCarre, nothing remains that simple. There are American Agents afoot with their own objectives. There are German Police Officials with plans of their own. There is a naive German Attorney (Rachel McAdams) looking out for the Chechyn's interests, and a banker (Willem DeFoe) who is necessary to bring the two men together.

Hoffman is the heart of the film. His Gunther is a hard drinking, chain smoking, overweight and overwrought loner. He is playing the 'long game'. Rather than rushing in and arresting everyone and anyone who might be related to terrorists, he wants to discover exactly how the money get transferred and to whom. He is looking to take down whoever sits at the very top of the terrorist pyramid.

The question is, Will he? Will he have the time to do it?

That's what the film's about, and it's definitely a worthwhile subject. And a worthwhile viewing.

About Hoffman? A great loss. If you doubt it, I say, see this film.