The opening sequence of George Clooney’s 2010 assassin film The American is shocking but interesting. We see a couple, Clooney and Irina Bjorklund, relaxing after a love-making session.
The brooding Clooney is sitting on the floor; a naked Irina Bjorklund caresses his body while laying on the bed.
This set-up is interesting as it leaves no clue about the genre of the film. An ordinary moviegoer would easily guess it as a romantic movie, provided he or she hasn’t googled The American. The couple goes out and gets attacked by two snipers, whom the beautiful Irina confuses as hunters. Clooney’s girlfriend gets shocked when he kills two of his attackers with his gun.
While killing his attackers Clooney’s character Jack displays the adeptness of a seasoned contract killer. It is only at this moment that we realise that The American is an assassin film. After killing the hunters, Jack kills his girlfriend, maybe to protect his identity as a gunsmith and a professional assassin. A great opening scene, all credit goes to director Anton Corbijn.
More than Assassin movie
The American should not be listed among those high-voltage action films that Hollywood periodically churn out in the guise of assassin movies. It has more to do with the French classics like Le Samourai (1967) than any Hollywood assassin movies. Like Alain Delon’s iconic contract killer in Le Samourai, Clooney’s Jack is also a loner.
The director conceived the film as a character study rather than an action movie. The focus is on Jack’s predicament and not on how he kills people. He kills his girlfriend without showing any sign of remorse. This murder is key to the film as it influences the motives of the protagonist in the latter part of the film.
Not a Typical Hollywood Action Flick
The director has set the movie as a mood piece. Blood is not shed unnecessarily, a stark departure from typical Hollywood assassin movies. Perturbed by the incidents in the opening sequence, Jack moves to an obscure little town in Italy, assuming a new identity: Eduard the Photographer.
There he meets two people: Father Benedetto, a local priest and Clara (Violante Placido), a prostitute with whom he forms a romantic relationship. But Jack has to finish one last job: deliver a sniper rifle to Mathilde, a Swedish assassin.
Benedetto acts as the moral compass of the film while Clara is his key to happiness. She is his only door to become a normal human being. But Mathilde and Jack’s agent are imminent threats.
Mister Butterfly
The butterfly is used as a metaphor throughout the movie. Clara calls him Mr Butterfly, Mathilde also calls him Mr Butterfly. Clara personifies live and life but Mathilde is the representation of death. Jack / Edward wants to fly towards Clara but death is after him in the form of Mathilde.
Roger Ebert in his review has alluded to this: ”The entire drama of this film rests on two words, "Mr. Butterfly." We must be vigilant to realize that once, and only once, they are spoken by the wrong person.” Mathilde or Clara, to whom will Mr Butterfly flies, form the crux of the story.
About the Author
Sreejith Kamalanayanan is a professional blogger who is passionate about movies. He is a great fan of David Fincher, Melville, Tarantino, Scorsese, Coen Brothers and Hitchcock. He answers movie related questions on Quora.
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