Review of A Most Wanted Man (2014) by Warwick B — 23 Sep 2014

Adaptation of the John le Carré spy thriller of the same name from director Anton Corbijn.

When young, illegal Chechen immigrant Issa Karpov (Grigoriy Dobrygin) arrives in Hamburg seeking a fortune in a privately held bank account, he comes to the attention of intelligence agent Gunter Bachmann (Philip Seymour Hoffman). When links of international terrorism are raised, Bachmann proceeds to do whatever it takes to find out who this man is, and just what danger he presents.

Of course, this being a le Carré yarn, the web of intrigue spins out far and wide, ensnaring: Annabel Richter (Rachel McAdams), an idealistic young lawyer specialising in immigration cases; Tommy Brue (Willem Dafoe), a banker who laundered cash for Karpov's father; Faisal Abdullah (Homayoun Ershadi), a doctor suspected of routing funds to Al Qaeda; and Bachmann's steely CIA counterpart Martha Sullivan (Robin Wright), also hot on the chase. But it is the magnetic Hoffman you watch. He brings a remarkable complexity and depth to Bachmann, a man who you're only shown in the context of his work.

A Most Wanted Man is a slow burn tangle of plots and counter plots with Hoffman the focus, keeping the audience engaged as the walls close in for the finale.