The American was a great movie! It was a pleasure to watch a movie wihout a sappy melodramatic piece of music at every turn to cue us that something is about to happen. Some of the other reviewers complain about a lack of dialog but I think that's just a symptom of addiction to 30s soundbites. Clooney's character is a loner by necessity rather than choice. He's torn between the life he is living and his desire to change it. I think it was filled with suspense and beautiful cinematography.