A Most Wanted Man

Anton Corbijn's tense, moody and brilliant adaptation of John le Carre's novel of the same name. The most fascinating aspect of this film is the fact that, the film being a spy thriller, there isn't a single shot of bullet fired; no dead bodies, no car chases, no stunts, or any such thing. Instead, it's observant, and follows our characters on their trail of a fund linked to a terror organization.

Philip Seymour Hoffman is the reason one should watch it. His character is intriguing and likable, but with this role, talented Mr. Hoffman shows us all the reasons we're going to miss him. This being his last completed film (before his death), combined with the thought-provoking ending, leaves one with a bittersweet feeling once the movie has ended. Like Hoffman himself, his character Gunter pours his heart and soul into only work he knows well. The last scene, with Hoffman's scream of despair, sent shivers down my spine; with the help of the mesmerizing final score, I was fixed to my seat till the credits rolled out. He also elevates the performances of his supporting actors, Willem Dafoe, Robin Wright and Rachel McAdams. German actors Daniel Bruhl and Kostja Ullmann, though present in the film, are not properly utilized.

After the various terror attacks around the world, many International agencies aim to curb it, but the way they get their job done differs from one agency to the other. Trying to do good is not only a difficult path in such scenarios, but often tends to be futile.

Anton Corbijn's third feature is a solemn thriller that connects topical geo-social politics with the mundanity of everyday spycraft. It occupies the same brown-drenched bureaucratic landscape as an earlier John Le Carre adaptation, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. But while Tomas Alfredson's film was all about its dreary '70s setting, A Most Wanted Man brings the dreariness into the realm of post-9/11 (or 11/09, to give it a region-appropriate designation).

The plot is typically detailed and dense. Not so much twisty as, well, untrusting. A young Chechen man named Karpov (Grigoriy Dobrygin) washes up in Hamburg, seeking asylum. He's an illegal immigrant promised a vast sum of dirty money by his late father. It's money he doesn't want. Gunther Bachmann (Philip Seymour Hoffman) and his espionage team, via an idealistic lawyer (Rachel McAdams), arrange for Karpov to donate the inheritance to a high-profile Muslim philanthropist, in order to entrap the latter as he siphons the funds into a terrorist organisation. Naturally, things get messy, and the movie spends most of its time in a very grey area indeed.

After Control and The American, Corbijn is exploring another talented, troubled man, adrift and alone in a thankless world. The film belongs to Seymour Hoffman, transforming yet again, embodying the chain-smoking, coffee-spiking, yet professional spy at the story's heart. We know few facts about Bachmann, yet we feel like we know him (which is perhaps the definition of a great screen character). He's taciturn and monotone; haggard and stooped yet quietly confident, as if he's seen it all and won enough times to keep going. Just.

So, it's an actor's movie. Robin Wright revels in a snaky supporting role, representing the brutal pragmatism of the U.S., and Rachel McAdams makes the most of a gruelling role as a woman trying to do good in a world that rewards evil equally often.

Corbijn's film doesn't give away the magician's tricks – we are usually one step behind Gunther and his crew, watching as their plans unfold and succeed or fail before our eyes. It keeps the narrative ticking along, albeit slowly.

The pace isn't my main problem – it's the insufficient sense of danger. I don't think this is to do with the lack of car chases or scarily efficient murders. What's lacking is the shadow of imminent loss. A better film starring Seymour Hoffman such as The Ides of March managed this, so why not A Most Wanted Man? Perhaps it's more generic than it first appears. I mean, once the main players are introduced, it's fairly predictable how things will turn out; who the real bad guys will be. It feels like there's a killer moment – a scene of real cinematic distinction – missing from the movie.

And what about Karpov? I never got a handle on his plight. I was never moved by his agonising principles. It's as if Corbijn is so focused on nailing the minutiae of espionage that he forgot about the subtleties of the heart.

Slow, precise, atmospheric – all good things, although this is less emotionally involving than Control and not as bold and distinctive as The American. It's a mature, well-written, ensemble film, but one which lacks the oppressive dread and nail-biting urgency to be truly memorable.

We will, however, remember its supremely talented star. In the final shot, we realise how appropriate a swansong this is for the great, big man: understated, ambiguous, and secretly sad.

A Most Wanted Man (2014) was directed by Anton Corbijn. It's based on a novel by John le Carré. The film stars Philip Seymour Hoffman. Basically, that's all you need to know about this movie.

Philip Seymour Hoffman is Günther Bachmann, a self-described spy. (Actually a counter-intelligence agent.) He's involved with a Chechen immigrant who has been tortured. There's money going from Hamburg to terrorists, but no one knows how this money gets there. Somehow the Chechen is involved. On and on it goes, with the German police opposing Günther, the CIA opposing Günther, and everyone betraying everyone else.

Günther is burned out and, essentially, has no life other than being a spy. As far as we can see, he never takes time off, he is interested in nothing other than work, and he has no friends and no colleagues he can trust. Hoffman portrays this part perfectly. No one could have done it as well.

A Most Wanted Man is pure Carré, and pure Hoffman, and that's why you should see it. If you're not impressed with Carré, or not impressed with Hoffman, there's no point going to the film.

We saw the movie on the large screen at the wonderful Dryden Theatre in Rochester, NY. However, it will work just as well on the small screen. No scuba shots, no mountain skiing shots--this isn't James Bond. If you know what to expect--gritty shots of Hamburg, Germany--you won't be disappointed, and the movie will work for you.

You are missed sir Philipp Seymour Hoffman. Brilliance in full display in this highly compelling espionage film, A Most Wanted Man. PSF simply dominates his scenes with subtlety, without the need to turn in a stagey, overcompensating effort. In the few scenes that warrants his aggression, you are absorbed by his thoughts, by his reason. He is a TRUE ARTIST. As for the film, suspense and intrigue does not let up as good vs bad takes an unclear shape, form and allegiance. Sreenplay deserves commendation as we are graciously subjected to seemingly REAL events, what actually happens behind closed doors in the world of intelligence. And that ending... 7.5/10 (probably deserves more).

Günther Bachmann (Philip Seymour Hoffman) is a hard drinking German security agent spying on Hamburg's Muslim community and philanthropist Abdullah. Issa Karpov is an illegal that The Americans Martha Sullivan (Robin Wright) claims to be a Chechen terrorists. Bachmann wants to use him to make contact with an unknown banker. Refugee lawyer Annabel Richter (Rachel McAdams) takes on Karpov's case. He tells her to contact banker Tommy Brue (Willem Dafoe) about a mysterious account of over 10 Million Euros left by his Russian military commander father.

It's an interesting murky spy thriller from John le Carré. However it lacks any intensity. Hoffman delivers yet another solid performance. The plot demands intense energy but the movie doesn't allow it. I don't like the fake accented English from North American actors either. It makes the movie feel artificial. All the performances are solid but heavy. Everybody is prodding. There is simply no energy, no tension and no drive.