A Most Wanted Man

Movie review by Jeffrey Anderson, Common Sense Media
A Most Wanted Man Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 16+

Philip Seymour Hoffman great in moody, smart spy drama.

R 2014 121 minutes
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Parents say

age 17+

Based on 2 reviews

Kids say

age 13+

Based on 2 reviews

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A Lot or a Little?

The parents' guide to what's in this movie.

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that A Most Wanted Man is a spy drama based on a novel by John Le Carre (The Constant Gardener, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy). It's also one of the final films of the late, great actor Philip Seymour Hoffman. A woman is abducted and imprisoned by the good guys, who need her help in catching a bad guy. Characters are also violently arrested, and there's a car crash. A character describes how his mother was raped at age 15 and died during childbirth. Language is infrequent but does include several uses of "f--k." Two characters pretend to kiss to avoid being spotted, and some scenes take place in a "red light" district with sex shops shown in the background. The main character drinks and smokes in several scenes, though he never appears to have a dependency problem. Though the material overall isn't terribly edgy, the movie is slow and thoughtful and isn't likely to have wide teen appeal.

Community Reviews

Pres
Pres Adult
March 29, 2020
age 18+

Strip club scene and Sex trafficking district

Okay movie - Definitely 18+ for sexual content

This title has:

Too much sex
MNParent
MNParent Adult
August 18, 2014
age 16+

A Thriller in the Classic Style

My husband and I went to see "A Most Wanted Man" expecting it to be good as we are fans of many of the actors involved. Much like a Hitchcock movie, the audience goes along for a journey, as characters, motives and plot are methodically developed. "A Most Wanted Man" is set against the backdrop of terrorism in the modern world where both governments and individuals battle with suspicion and knowing who to trust. We were very surprised that this movie was rated "R" and would be perfectly comfortable having our 16 year old see it. The commentary review from Common Cause Media is spot on with *occasional* language being the only concern. It doesn't even compare to some other R-rated movies, in my opinion. But as the review suggests, it is not likely to draw a heavy teen audience based on the patient, deliberative script. I think the movie could launch a thoughtful discussion with an older teen about the value of trust, public safety and terrorism, government's responsibility for public safety and the means they use in an effort to secure it, relationships between nations, religious bias and profiling--all stories ripped from today's headlines.
See all 2 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Burned-out German intelligence officer Gunter Bachmann (Philip Seymour Hoffman) works in Hamburg, Germany, where the 9/11 attacks were planned. A young half-Chechen, half-Russian immigrant, Issa Karpov (Grigoriy Dobrygin) -- a possible ex-jihadist -- turns up, sending Bachmann's people on high alert. Human rights attorney Annabel Richter (Rachel McAdams) plans to secure Karpov a multi-million euro inheritance from his father. Bachmann enlists the help of Richter and of banker Tommy Brue (Willem Dafoe) and -- using Karpov as bait -- hopes to catch a much bigger fish: a respected philanthropist who's suspected of using a shipping company to finance terrorist activity. But Bachmann's clueless bosses are beginning to lose patience.

Is It Any Good?

With controlled, restrained filmmaking that allows for mood-enhancing moments, former music video maker Anton Corbijn (Control, The American) is the right man for this John Le Carre-based thriller. With a strong screenplay by Andrew Bovell, Corbijn's highly intelligent A MOST WANTED MAN is patient with its details, uses urban locations to gloomy effect, and revels in soft-spoken, spring-loaded conversations. But it's all centered around one great character, Gunter Bachmann.

As played by the late Hoffman in one of his finest performances, Bachmann is always fascinating (never mind that Hoffman conjures up an impressive German accent). He's great at his job but feels like a second-class citizen due to past mistakes. He drinks and smokes and carries himself in a way that feels caught between success and failure. Corbijn confidently keeps the balance between the larger cat-and-mouse game and Bachmann's own, personal risk; the movie's final moment may haunt you for some time.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the main character's drinking and smoking. How often does he do it? Does he seem to have a problem? What seems to be the source of his substance use?

  • How violent or fast-moving is A Most Wanted Man? How does it compare to other spy movies you may have seen? Does its slow pace make it seem boring? More exciting? Smarter?

  • What sacrifices are made in this movie for a greater good? Did it seem like a wise choice?

Movie Details

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