Un homme très recherché

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.

You are missed sir Philipp Seymour Hoffman. Brilliance in full display in this highly compelling espionage film, A Most Wanted Man. PSF simply dominates his scenes with subtlety, without the need to turn in a stagey, overcompensating effort. In the few scenes that warrants his aggression, you are absorbed by his thoughts, by his reason. He is a TRUE ARTIST. As for the film, suspense and intrigue does not let up as good vs bad takes an unclear shape, form and allegiance. Sreenplay deserves commendation as we are graciously subjected to seemingly REAL events, what actually happens behind closed doors in the world of intelligence. And that ending... 7.5/10 (probably deserves more).

The plot hardly matters here; it's only a vehicle for exploring the dirty side of intelligence work and is complicated as a Swiss watch. Maybe the NSA revelations have you thinking twice about spywork? The fact that we caught spying on our own allies, the Germans, adds a special relevance to this tale. But the real appeal here is a)LeCarre's dark, dark, dark worldview and b) Hoffman's superb acting. He just tosses this role off, and is utterly convincing. After you see this you should see the film that perfectly bookends it: LeCarre's early '60s The Spy Who Came in From the Cold. Just as gritty and dirty and with Richard Burton as Alec Leamus. Like Gunther Bachmann,Leamus was a worn-out, beat-up, used-up operative, and audiences of the time, entranced by the frivolities of James Bond, were rather shocked by the dose of reality he represented.

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.