 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
The American
- Review Date: August 23, 2010
- R
- Genre: Thriller
- 2010
Common Sense Media says
Taut, mature drama examines the life of a lone assassin.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this slow-paced, suspenseful drama focuses on an assassin for hire (played by George Clooney), but it's neither an action film nor a thriller. It has some intense gunfights, but the real "action" is watching the quiet life of a lonely mercenary who longs for human connection but is always looking over his shoulder in fear. A few scenes include smoking and drinking, and there's a good deal of nudity (including full-frontal female) and some explicit sex. Teens expecting a violent spy film might be disappointed (and even bored), but more mature viewers may appreciate this intimate look at a solitary life spent on the run.
What's the story?
Edward (George Clooney) is a firearm craftsman and assassin who has grown weary of his life. The lone wolf longs to be part of a pack. When hitmen come after him in Sweden, shattering his idyll and leaving his lover dead by his own hands, he decamps to rural Italy, where he befriends a priest and a prostitute. Soon, another assignment comes in: Will it be his last?
Is it any good?
Anyone expecting a Bourne-like thrill-a-minute experience will be suprised and perplexed by THE AMERICAN. Though suspenseful, it proceeds at a mindful, brooding, and, in some instances, glacial pace. Watch Clooney working alone in his room, drinking alone at a bar, standing alone on a riverbank. (You get the picture.)
Therein lies director Anton Corbijn's genius. Viewers don't just see Edward's isolation and increasing despair -- they feel it by the second. His responses and decisions, then, make perfect sense within his very palpable existence. Clooney once again turns in fine work, but sometimes his superstar George Clooney-ness overwhelms. (It doesn't help that the film is set in Italy, where everyone who has ever read a tabloid knows that Clooney has a villa and lives part-time.) Not everything makes sense at first watching, but it pays to get to know The American.
Explore, discuss, enjoy
Families can talk about how the media typically portrays assassins and spies. How is this movie different? Which seems more realistic?
Who do you think this movie is intended to appeal to? Is it successful?
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Adult
October 22, 2010
AGE
Bad movie
I heard this was a good movie, so i went to it with a friend. we got up and left during the second sex scene. there was hardly any dialog (which was kind of awkward), and LOTS of nudity. May as well have been a straight up porn-o (not that i endorse that at all), but it was bad. I definitely lost respect for Mr. Clooney.
What other families should know:
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Parent of 5 year old
September 6, 2010
AGE
movie was an excellent example of the lonliness of an assasin.
clooney was at his best. i even jumped a couple otimes.. i give the show a 9...
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Adult
February 7, 2011
AGE
VERY Sexual!! I don't think that this movie is appropriate for anyone, it is about one step shy of a porno! There are multiple sex scenes and lots of nudity.
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Educator and Parent of 6, 11, and 14 year old
January 6, 2011
AGE
Not one of Clooney's best performances
Nude scenes that add nothing to the plot, which is very thin. The movie was very slow with no suspense and the characters are all very shallow.
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Adult
September 19, 2010
AGE
This movie is terrible and completely inappropriate for all ages. The sex scene is extensive and graphic. There is also a lot of nudity! There is full frontal female nudity and a males butt. I wouldn't recommend this movie to anyone. Besides all the nudity the story line is terrible. It is boring and you can't wait for it to end. I should have just walked out.
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Kid, 10 years old
September 5, 2010
AGE
ive never seen it but it sounds E X P L I C I T
sex sounds eXplicit
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Adult
September 6, 2010
AGE
The American is not that it was hyped to be -but don't let that deter you
I went into the theater expecting another action packed spy thriller that the trailer had prepared me for. Instead, I saw something very different, but still very good. In a world where the undercover life is portrayed as exciting, romantic, financially rewarding, and glamorous, "The American" was a reality check. It honestly shows the gritty loneliness that the main character experiences and his desperation to find human connection. The bleak colors, deserted Italian towns, and tense character of the film back this up tremendously. Parents be warned, there is an extended explicit sex scene and several scenes of female nudity. There are one or two bloody moments as well. This is not a spy thriller for kids. It's a cerebral, desolate, deeper-look for adults only.
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Parent of 8, 9, 12, and 15 year old
March 12, 2011
AGE
Odd movie, more like a novel
Iffy-iffy. Opening scene is very violent although that isn't a constant in the movie. The movie shows how a man evolves & wants to leave his life behind. It became easy to figure out what was going to happen next as the movie went on. I did enjoy the music, whoever composed the score was a genius & the placement really helped get a feeling of who George Clooney's character was. Not happy with the ending although I figured out mid-way thru the show what was going to happen.
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Parent of 17 year old
November 10, 2010
AGE
Finally, I movie with George Clooney as an assassin. I've been waiting for this for a long time and The American really delivered
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Educator and Parent of 12 year old
September 4, 2010
AGE
Don't Waste Your Money or Your Time
Both my husband and I abhorred this movie--for somewhat different reasons. In no way is this movie appropriate for a child of any age. The graphic nudity and sexual scenes are inappropriate for children and add nothing to the movie. We felt like asking for our money back for having wasted our time and money! There is very little plot to the movie, the acting is weak at best, and the movie promos show the handful of action scenes that actually occur. The storyline is so slow that I fell asleep during part of the movie! I am less embarrassed about that than I am about having stayed for the entire show, waiting for it to get better. We find it difficult to believe that George Clooney would allow his name to be attached to this movie in any way, and we would not recommend it to anyone of any age!
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| Studio: | Focus Features |
| Director: | Anton Corbijn |
| Cast: | George Clooney, Thekla Reuten, Violante Placido |
| Genre: | Thriller |
| Run time: | 95 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | September 1, 2010 |
| DVD release date: | December 28, 2010 |
| MPAA rating: | R |
| MPAA explanation: | violence, sexual content and nudity |
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