American Star

McShane builds into the role throughout this metaphor of waiting. Waiting to let go of the things in his life and coming to terms with whatever was killing him slowly, military life, loss, divorce, family, shame, childhood dreams, joy. It's a backdrop for the end for the lead, where dialogue becomes less meaningful, his sunken dreams washed up, perhaps mythically on an abandoned shoreline. Ultimately he has followed orders to the end, perhaps even beyond into purgatory itself.

American Star seems a misleading title somewhat, but it's an interesting and captivating narrative for those more introspective evenings.

I'm not sure why this has a low rating. It's actually very well shot, the acting is very good, and while slow it's correctly paced for the genre.

The story is pretty rudimentary but it's handled well. The director does a great job framing the scenes and the setting is really beautiful.

This isn't an action movie so I guess the low ratings are from people who expected a man in his 70s to be doing Jason Statham level fight scenes?

It's a hitman story and it's a good one. The villain is played well too and the story does crash together at the end in an interesting way.

If you like hitman movies and appreciate slower paced, character driven and building stories you'll likely enjoy this.

If you have a short attention span, hate great cinematography, don't understand nuance..can't abide beautiful scenery..have no interest in the combined complexities of human relationships coupled with random synchronicity..if you also hate nor have the intellectual capacity for nuance nor well observed subtitles..if you also have very little capacity for understanding human emotion and are devoid of compassion..if you cannot suspend disbelief..if your cinematic diet does not extend beyond soda and popcorn and that that is all the nourishment and sustenance you require in your consumption of film then this piece is not for you.

I loved it.

Two bits of trivia for you. 1. Ian McShane is one of those rare actors who has never given a bad performance. 2. The Canary Islands are, geologically, not islands but mountain tops. Once, long ago, when sea levels were lower, there was a civilization there. The reason for this trivia? Although McShane has never given a bad performance, he does occasionally take parts that are less than his due. Arguably, this is one of them. And, two, unless you succumb to the hypnotic delight of chillin' on the island (and many of you will indeed succumb!), this meandering and moody film may not be for you. It is literally 10 full minutes before we have actual dialog. To say the pace is slow is like saying water is wet. There is indeed some action in the Third Dramatic Act but, in all honesty, by then you will have absolutely decided whether or not this film is for you. And voted, accordingly, with your keyboard. ((Designated "IMDb Top Reviewer." Please check out my list "167+ Nearly-Perfect Movies (with the occasional Anime or TV miniseries) you can/should see again and again (1932 to the present))

McShane is as great as ever in this quiet, almost somber movie about a hitman waiting for a job in Fuerteventura.

The direction is very promising from Gonzalo Lopez who, from what I can see has done nothing of note but here seems to be inspired by The Hit or The American. It's artistic rather than arthouse and had me hooked for the first forty minutes or so. The movie then drifts a little before its climax and ending that will keep you guessing.

The cinematography of the the Canary Island is great and the supporting cast is excellent.

As said there are slow segments, but stay with it. I think it's worth it.