Review of A Most Wanted Man (2014) by Joe H — 20 Nov 2014

Despite the film's very real implications, there's little sense of urgency or edge to this academic counter-terrorism drama, which is after all, in its barest sense, about a team of agents following a little fish to get to the big fish, a process just as exhausting to the characters as to the audience.

The cast is strong, led by Hoffman in one of his last great performances, but the film's meandering pace and rigid tone makes it feel more like a scholarly cinematic essay on counterterrorism and less like an espionage thriller.

Whether that's a good thing or a bad thing is ultimately left up to the audience. In my own opinion, A Most Wanted Man is a good film with sharp commentary and insights, but it isn't a great film, nor a particularly memorable or enjoyable one.