Review of A Most Wanted Man (2014) by Stuart K — 06 Feb 2015

Directed by Anton Corbijn (Control (2007) and The American (2010)), and adapted from John le Carré's 2008 novel of the same name by Andrew Bovell, (Strictly Ballroom (1992) and Edge of Darkness (2010)).

This taut thriller is very up to date, focusing on espionage in high places and the double dealing that goes on with international politics. It's a slow burning film, but well worth watching. In Hamburg, Chechnyan refugee Issa Karpov (Grigoriy Dobrygin) enters the country illegally through the docks.

Local espionage agent Günther Bachmann (Philip Seymour Hoffman) with help from his team consisting of Erna Frey (Nina Hoss) and Max (Daniel Brühl) have been gathering evidence on Muslim philanthropist Dr.

Abdullah (Homayoun Ershadi), and his links to terrorist cells. Karpov gets in touch with immigration Annabel Richter (Rachel McAdams), who puts him in contact with banker Tommy Brue (Willem Dafoe), who did business with Karpov's father.

Bachmann decides to use Karpov to help ensnare Abdullah and other terrorists. It's a down and dirty film, done with an almost documentary like feel, but it's a different kind of war film, while you have wars going on in the Middle East, most of the more complex work is done in the cities to the West, money work.

The film has an added poignancy, as it's one of Hoffman's final films, he's brilliant in it.