A Most Wanted Man
A banker, lawyer, preacher, and spy combine to provide mystery and intrigue in John le Carré’s A Most Wanted Man.
Set in a blue- and yellow-soaked Hamburg, Philip Seymour Hoffman’s last movie sees him portray the dissipated and avuncular Günther Bachmann, the head of a small Secret Service section of dubious legality.
The surreptitious arrival of a young half-Chechen, half-Russian man in the city leads to an investigation of his motives and those of his lawyer, the young, idealistic Annabel Richter. (Rachel McAdams). Bachman decides to manipulate the pair to catch more important prey.
This is a world of suggestive looks, simple words, and deceptive nods. It is a tale of movement in the shadows where good and evil are indistinguishable.
The movie is understated rather than sensational and sustaining the suspense over two hours is problematic. It is probably more suitable for an older audience that is willing to wait for an ambiguous denouement. (LR)
*** /5
