Review of A Most Wanted Man (2014) by James D — 31 Oct 2014

8/10 Engaging, suspenseful and thrilling, this is one of the better espionage films I have seen in recent years. Played out with pitch perfect calculation. It does feel small scale, but that smallness is filled with greatness.

Very precise direction, an engaging, intricate story, a tight script, an amazing cast, beautiful cinematography and perfect pacing are all elements that add together and create this very absorbing spy thriller. It could have gone downhill in infinite ways, but the director and the screenwriter manage to keep things tight and coherent without ever leaving you dubious, yet never revealing too much information. The slow burn this movie uses is perfectly fit for the story and escalates in a fantastic climax that had me totally on the edge of my seat. The filmmakers clearly treat the audience as an equal and never feel the need to dumb things down. Hoffmann is a spectacle in himself, he shapes his character flawlessly adding many little details for you to admire. The stand out of this movie besides Hoffmann was totally Nina Hoss. She had such an amazing presence on screen I wanted to see more of her. The cast dynamically works together and has no weak spots.

Yet, indeed there are no weak spots, because no one is doing a bad job, but Defoe and Bruhl feel a little wasted. They are just there and never have the role that their presence suggests and could have been easily substituted with other actors. The problem is that their casting was a little distracting. The film also feels a little too small. There doesn't seem to be a wider view of the work of the characters you follow and you are never offered the payoff you are promised in the first act. Finally, I must say the film has many, many great traits, but it certainly doesn't feel as an instant rewatch as many spy movies do. I don't really think I'm looking to checking this out again and its not really what I want from a spy movie: I want to be curious to rewatch it as soon as it ends and figure out all the minor plot details going on and this movie didn't have that for me.

Nevetheless, this was a great ride and one to be had in a theater. Totally recommend this one!