The American

George Clooney stars in the new film, The American, which he also produced. The title refers to the main character, an expatriate hit man who naturally resists being known or familiar, although it's clear the solitude is getting to him. Whether he is in the stark and snowy terrain of wintry Sweden, or strolling the stone corridors of a town in the Abruzza region of Italy, he's unable to enjoy the picturesque beauty as he's too busy scouting any potential threat.

Jack (Clooney) receives his missions by telephone but follows his own instincts in selecting the company of women. "Edward. Is that your real name?" asks one prostitute, who like the audience cannot get a read on the tightly wound, surprisingly terse character. Long scenes with little or no dialogue illustrate Jack's alienation and ennui. That silence gives weight to the archetype we recognize: the lone soldier, working one last job before getting out and reclaiming his life (think Alain Delon in Le Samouraï, John Wayne in The Shootist and John Hurt in The Hit among others).

Shot in Sweden and Italy, and directed by Dutch filmmaker Anton Corbijn, The American, resembles a spy thriller, but so somber in spirit and tone it delivers instead the dreariest cat and mouse chase.