American Star Movie Review

American Star is a movie filled with thrills and drama, directed by Gonzalo Lopez-Gallego. The writer of this movie is Nacho Faerna. The cast of this movie includes – Ian McShane He is a skilled voice actor, great director and pr >> Read More... (Wilson), Nora Arnezeder (Gloria), Oscar Coleman (Max), Pedro Alberto Galindo (Hotel Barman), Adam Nagaitis (Ryan), Fanny Ardant Fanny Marguerite Judith Ardant or Fanny Ardant is >> Read More... (Anne), Thomas Kretschmann (Thomas), Sabela Aran (Linda). Remate has given the music for this film. The producers of this movie are Deborah Aston, Michael Elliott, Peter Hampden, Pedro Hernandez, Phil Hunt Phil Hunt is a distinguished producer, chief execu >> Read More... , and others. Jose David Montero is the cinematographer of this movie.

Plot

The movie reflects upon the story of an old and aging assassin, Wilson. The movie begins when Wilson visits Fuerteventura beaches of Canary Islands to kill his target, but when he reaches there; he cannot his target at the assigned residence of the target. So, Wilson decided to wait for the targeted person there, meanwhile he started exploring the beaches of the island. After spending some time there, he gets attached to the lifestyle and people on the island. Wilson’s encounters with Gloria, a bartender, and Max, a young boy, are the main reasons for his change of heart. What will be the consequences of his sudden change of heart? Will he complete his final assignment as an assassin? The following story of this movie gives the answer to these questions. 

Star Performances

Lately, Ian McShane has become a popular choice among directors to play an assassin because of his exceptional performances in the John Wick Click to look into! >> Read More... series and the TV series ‘Deadwood”, and even in this movie, he shines through his performance. His by-the-book acting and sophisticated portrayal of Wilson and his mental turmoil with a strong persona hooked the viewers throughout the film. The portrayal of Gloria by Arnezeder brings a different side of emotions to the story. Oscar did a great job of showcasing the innocence of a child through Max in the film. Adam while playing Ryan in this movie brought tension to the story, and the rift between him and Wilson is the most prominent part of the film.

Analysis

The movie ‘American Star’ is directed by Gonzalo. It is a slow-paced situational thriller based on the later life of an assassin, who got time to contemplate his life choices over one of his missions. The slow screenplay of the film is a deliberate move to explore the vast possibilities associated with the movie’s theme. The movie’s title is the name of an old and abandoned ship stranded on a beachside, which symbolizes the growing age of Wilson, protagonist of the movie. The film has many meaningful nuances that highlight the characters’ personalities in the movie. Even the skillful use of props in the film makes it worth watching. While Wilson waiting for his target; he starts to bond with Gloria and Max which makes him guilty of breaking the assassin’s code of non- attachment. As the movie’s story moves forward, Wilson’s association with violence in the past begins to haunt his present. The slow screenplay plays a significant part in building the tension around the main character. When talking about the production, the location of this movie perfectly and beautifully align with the plot of the movie. The director and cinematographer amusingly presented the beautiful landscapes and places around the Fuerteventura beach on-screen. After watching this movie, I can undoubtedly say that Gonzalo Lopez-Gallego is one of the most underrated directors whose visual prowess is soon to be the talk of the town. The music of the movie and BG score escalated the emotional depth of the scenes. However, there are some easily ignorable falters of the film. Though one can feel that the movie is too slow, if they aren’t much into the artistic side of the cinema for viewers like me, it’s a gold mine in this barren cinematic season. 

What’s There?

· Exceptionally praise-worthy cinematography 

· Emotional depth

· Character development 

· Great acting performances

What’s Not There?

• Slow Screenplay
• Too many details
• Lack of high-octane action sequences as judged by the genre of the movie.

Verdict

In this dumping season of cinema, the movie ‘American Star’ is the best one released so far. One must not judge this movie by its plot to be action packed just like other assassin and killer based movies. It is a slow movie for people who watch films purely for entertainment purpose, but if you are a cinephile, this movie will serve you right.