Plot
A Chechen Muslim illegally immigrates to Hamburg, where he gets caught in the international war on terror.
Release Year: 2014
Rating: 7.7/10 (650 voted)
Critic's Score: 74/100
Director: Anton Corbijn
Stars: Grigoriy Dobrygin, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Homayoun Ershadi
Storyline
When a half-Chechen, half-Russian, brutally tortured immigrant turns up in Hamburg's Islamic community, laying claim to his father's ill gotten fortune, both German and US security agencies take a close interest: as the clock ticks down and the stakes rise, the race is on to establish this most wanted man's true identity - oppressed victim or destruction-bent extremist? Based on John le Carré's novel, A MOST WANTED MAN is a contemporary, cerebral tale of intrigue, love, rivalry, and politics that prickles with tension right through to its last heart-stopping scene.
Writers: Andrew Bovell, John le Carré
Cast: Grigoriy Dobrygin -
Issa Karpov
Philip Seymour Hoffman -
Günther Bachmann
Homayoun Ershadi -
Abdullah
Mehdi Dehbi -
Jamal
Neil Malik Abdullah -
Abdullah's Bodyguard
Nina Hoss -
Irna Frey
Daniel Brühl -
Maximilian
Vicky Krieps -
Niki
Kostja Ullmann -
Rasheed
Franz Hartwig -
Karl
Martin Wuttke -
The Admiral
Vedat Erincin -
Storekeeper
Rainer Bock -
Dieter Mohr
Derya Alabora -
Leyla Oktay
Tamer Yigit -
Melik Oktay
Trivia:
A nine-minute mini-documentary of John le Carré talking about this movie's source novel at the Southbank Centre was released on 22 July 2008. The short was made by Simon Channing Williams who had produced the film adaptation of John le Carré's The Constant Gardener (2005). See more »
User Review
Author:
Rating: 7/10
Hollywood has never been more enamored with the tradecraft novels of
John le Carré than they are right now, having gained in popularity in
this post 9/11 society of ours. But for me, I've always had something
of a love/hate relationship with his work. While the murky games of
spies and dark government assets is one le Carre knows better than
anybody, the realism of his writing doesn't always make for the
greatest entertainment. Every now and then you wish a car would blow up
or somebody would fire a rocket launcher or something. Much like the
most recent le Carre adaptation, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, A Most
Wanted Man is another pot boiler with a great cast and a story that
emphasizes facts, figures, and mood while leaving character in the
background.
Philip Seymour Hoffman brings a palpable weariness to the role of
Gunther Bachmann, an espionage operative in Hamburg, a country trying
to overcome its reputation as a hot bed of terrorist activity. Gunther
is part of an organization so secret, so deep in the weeds nobody knows
who they report to. They operate on their own, preventing any security
threats in a way they see fit. Like many of le Carre's most popular
protagonists, Gunther is a shrewd, calculating man who is smarter and
tougher than his physical appearance would suggest. He's a man called
on to make the hard decisions because he always does.
When a battered and starving half-Chechyan, half-Russian man emerges
out of nowhere seeking political asylum, it catches the attention of
not only Gunther's agency, but the CIA (represented by Robin Wright)
and other departments in Germany. Gunther's investigation into whether
this man is truly who he says, or perhaps a terrorist in disguise, is
undermined at every turn by those who claim to be on his side. The ways
of spies are often like the mafia; it's your friend with the biggest
smile who sticks in the knife. The situation becomes cloudier when a
local banker and civil rights advocate (Rachel McAdams) gets involved,
along with a shady money man (Willem Dafoe) who is hired to help the
refugee gain access to a sizable inheritance.
The second international thriller by Anton Corbijn (he directed George
Clooney in The American), the film gets off to a slow start and never
gains any momentum. Not that a le Carre story ever aims for big sizzle,
the lack of energy is especially burdensome since there is so little
interest in developing any of these characters. By contrast, an
excellent le Carre adaptation like The Constant Gardener has a central
figure with a personal stake in finding a hidden truth. It's no less
analytical than A Most Wanted Man or 'Tinker Tailor', but there's an
attempt to tell a story, not just go over procedures. And it's a shame
because Hoffman really is great as Gunther, a man carrying the weight
of the world on his shoulders. The entire veteran cast, and yes that
includes McAdams wielding a convincing German accent, fit into le
Carre's world perfectly. Ultimately, A Most Wanted Man is too stiff and
calculating to appeal to anybody but the most die-hard fan of the
genre.
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