The American - Tuesday 10th September 2024

Hadn’t seen this film since it came out, back in 2010, and I remember not being overly impressed. Compared to the likes Bourne, it just felt too simple. Watching it now, over a decade later, and with a more mature taste in movies, the simplicity works in the film’s favour, as does the setting of an old Italian village.

The Italy of the movies is such an idyllic place, full of beautiful scenery and even more beautiful people; on a purely visual level, it just works.
The story isn’t going to keep you at the edge of your seat, and it doesn’t add much to the Stoic hitman stereotype, but it doesn’t offend you with illogical nonsense as a standard Hollywood hitman movie might. As long as the characters behave as real people would, I’m on board.

That said, I don’t know if such a small village would have a thriving prostitution scene, especially with prostitutes as beautiful and loving as Violante Placido! But then, I’m no expert. Maybe every village in the world has that scene? I’d never know.
I enjoyed it. There’s a joy in watching beautiful people in beautiful places; that’s been the cornerstone of movies and advertising since the beginning, but is completely out of fashion these days. It’s a nice film, and one that has improved over time.