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The American
- 189 statements
- 36 feature instances
- 16 referencing feature instances
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TheAmerican | |
The American | comment |
The American is a 2010 drama film by director Anton Corbijn (most known for directing Control and numerous U2 music videos). Adapted from Martin Booth's 1990 novel A Very Private Gentleman (in which the protagonist is actually English), it follows George Clooney as Jack, a lonesome assassin and gunsmith who, after some enemies track him down to his remote cabin in Sweden, moves to a remote village in Italy to lay low. What follows is a character study of a man who lives a very rigid, lonely life due to his career. He befriends the local priest, and starts a relationship with Clara, a prostitute in the area.Taut, featuring beautiful cinematography, and poor marketing, The American is notable for how it subverts the tropes common in the hitman movie, not so much by lampshading them, but simply by using them to the advantage of the film's contemplative tone. | |
The American | fetched |
2024-03-21T12:16:12Z | |
The American | parsed |
2024-03-21T12:16:12Z | |
The American | processingComment |
Dropped link to HitmanWithAHeart: Not a Feature - ITEM | |
The American | isPartOf |
DBTropes | |
The American / int_19ebe383 | type |
Never Trust a Trailer | |
The American / int_19ebe383 | comment |
Never Trust a Trailer: The commercials (not so much the trailers) advertise it as a Bourne-style action film. It's really not. It's more of a character study interspersed with bits of action. | |
The American / int_19ebe383 | featureApplicability |
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The American | hasFeature |
The American / int_19ebe383 | |
The American / int_2ccdff6c | type |
Mortal Wound Reveal | |
The American / int_2ccdff6c | comment |
Mortal Wound Reveal: The ending has Jack going aroun for few minutes, killing his would-be assassins, then heading to Clara. Only after he's done, it's revealed he's been shot himself and bleeds profusely. | |
The American / int_2ccdff6c | featureApplicability |
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The American | hasFeature |
The American / int_2ccdff6c | |
The American / int_2dc0d2bf | type |
Hidden Depths | |
The American / int_2dc0d2bf | comment |
Hidden Depths: While it's early seen that Jack is a skilled and ruthless professional, a large curveball is thrown when it's shown his back tattoo is not another military emblem or Biblical passage... but a butterfly. He's later shown reading a book on butterflies and asks Mathilde not to move when an endangered species lands on her shoulder. | |
The American / int_2dc0d2bf | featureApplicability |
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The American | hasFeature |
The American / int_2dc0d2bf | |
The American / int_3aec9e5e | type |
Properly Paranoid | |
The American / int_3aec9e5e | comment |
Properly Paranoid: Jack is a professional killer that has a lot of heat on his back and trying to lay low. He distrusts people by defult, but his paranoia is what keeps him alive, including rigging Mathilde's rifle, assuming she's out to kill him. When she tries to take the shot, the gun explodes in her face. | |
The American / int_3aec9e5e | featureApplicability |
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The American | hasFeature |
The American / int_3aec9e5e | |
The American / int_3e667b26 | type |
IKEA Weaponry | |
The American / int_3e667b26 | comment |
Ikea Weaponry: The job Jack takes on while he's in hiding is to build such a weapon for a female assassin. Downplayed, as it's your average Ruger Mini-14, simply customised for easier stripping and to carry a suppressor. | |
The American / int_3e667b26 | featureApplicability |
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The American / int_3e667b26 | featureConfidence |
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The American | hasFeature |
The American / int_3e667b26 | |
The American / int_49d59be9 | type |
Scenery Porn | |
The American / int_49d59be9 | comment |
Scenery Porn: The film revels in this. It's a Corbijn special. | |
The American / int_49d59be9 | featureApplicability |
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The American | hasFeature |
The American / int_49d59be9 | |
The American / int_4e7c4536 | type |
Wham Line | |
The American / int_4e7c4536 | comment |
Wham Line: When Clara calls Jack Mr. Butterfly, a name we have only seen given to him by Mathilde. The film leaves it ambiguous whether this actually meant anything. | |
The American / int_4e7c4536 | featureApplicability |
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The American / int_4e7c4536 | featureConfidence |
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The American | hasFeature |
The American / int_4e7c4536 | |
The American / int_5bc36262 | type |
Backwards-Firing Gun | |
The American / int_5bc36262 | comment |
Backwards-Firing Gun: Jack ends up rigging Mathilde's gun to do this once he figures out she's been contracted to kill him. | |
The American / int_5bc36262 | featureApplicability |
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The American / int_5bc36262 | featureConfidence |
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The American | hasFeature |
The American / int_5bc36262 | |
The American / int_6a0b03a6 | type |
One Last Job | |
The American / int_6a0b03a6 | comment |
One Last Job: Subverted. At first it doesn't start like this, but the stress on Jack's life ultimately leads him to decide to quit once he's done with his current assignment. | |
The American / int_6a0b03a6 | featureApplicability |
-0.3 | |
The American / int_6a0b03a6 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The American | hasFeature |
The American / int_6a0b03a6 | |
The American / int_6a3bedce | type |
Modesty Bedsheet | |
The American / int_6a3bedce | comment |
Jack's girlfriend is first seen naked in bed, with no Modesty Bedsheet covering her. | |
The American / int_6a3bedce | featureApplicability |
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The American | hasFeature |
The American / int_6a3bedce | |
The American / int_6fb59931 | type |
Being Personal Isn't Professional | |
The American / int_6fb59931 | comment |
Being Personal Isn't Professional: Jack is advised by his handler not to make friends, but is unable to stick to this rule. | |
The American / int_6fb59931 | featureApplicability |
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The American | hasFeature |
The American / int_6fb59931 | |
The American / int_77063cd7 | type |
Hooker with a Heart of Gold | |
The American / int_77063cd7 | comment |
Hooker with a Heart of Gold: Clara is this. Subverted when it looks like she's an assassin out to get Jack. Double subverted when she's got a gun simply because someone is killing prostitutes. | |
The American / int_77063cd7 | featureApplicability |
-0.3 | |
The American / int_77063cd7 | featureConfidence |
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The American | hasFeature |
The American / int_77063cd7 | |
The American / int_79a0e313 | type |
Bolivian Army Ending | |
The American / int_79a0e313 | comment |
Bolivian Army Ending: The film itself leaves Jack's fate as to whether or not he survives up in the air. | |
The American / int_79a0e313 | featureApplicability |
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The American / int_79a0e313 | featureConfidence |
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The American | hasFeature |
The American / int_79a0e313 | |
The American / int_7d53bc0b | type |
Hollywood Silencer | |
The American / int_7d53bc0b | comment |
Hollywood Silencer: Averted. Jack stresses he can modify a rifle with a "suppressor," but it will mostly just mask where the shot is coming from. When it's tested, there's still a loud CRACK! from each shot, and the accuracy is significantly affected. | |
The American / int_7d53bc0b | featureApplicability |
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The American / int_7d53bc0b | featureConfidence |
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The American | hasFeature |
The American / int_7d53bc0b | |
The American / int_7e5b0184 | type |
Time-Delayed Death | |
The American / int_7e5b0184 | comment |
Time-Delayed Death: Assuming he actually dies, Jack spends quite a while still going as if nothing, despite apparently fatal wound. | |
The American / int_7e5b0184 | featureApplicability |
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The American / int_7e5b0184 | featureConfidence |
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The American | hasFeature |
The American / int_7e5b0184 | |
The American / int_89f2f8aa | type |
Misidentified Weapons | |
The American / int_89f2f8aa | comment |
Misidentified Weapons: Jack describes the rifle as "Ruger M14". M14 is a completely different gun and a professional like him shouldn't make such mistakes. He also gives completely random muzzle velocity that not only doesn't match the gun, but is in weird unit (miles/hour, while it's meters or feet per second). | |
The American / int_89f2f8aa | featureApplicability |
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The American / int_89f2f8aa | featureConfidence |
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The American | hasFeature |
The American / int_89f2f8aa | |
The American / int_905438eb | type |
Recycled IN SPACE! | |
The American / int_905438eb | comment |
Recycled In Space: It's Le Samouraï IN ITALY! | |
The American / int_905438eb | featureApplicability |
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The American / int_905438eb | featureConfidence |
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The American | hasFeature |
The American / int_905438eb | |
The American / int_90e31482 | type |
Laser-Guided Karma | |
The American / int_90e31482 | comment |
Laser-Guided Karma: Mathilde is killed by the gun she ordered. You could also regard Jack being targeted by the gun he's built as the same. | |
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The American / int_90e31482 | featureConfidence |
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The American | hasFeature |
The American / int_90e31482 | |
The American / int_95ff52c7 | type |
Guns Do Not Work That Way | |
The American / int_95ff52c7 | comment |
Guns Do Not Work That Way: When Mathilda is adjusting the scope once figuring out the gun is a bit to the left, she uses... elevation knob, not the one for windage. In other words, the gun not only would still fire to the left, but now also slightly too high. | |
The American / int_95ff52c7 | featureApplicability |
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The American / int_95ff52c7 | featureConfidence |
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The American | hasFeature |
The American / int_95ff52c7 | |
The American / int_98ba5dfe | type |
Unproblematic Prostitution | |
The American / int_98ba5dfe | comment |
Unproblematic Prostitution: There is a well-kept, easy-to-access brothel in the town Jack is staying in. Those were delegalised in Italy in late 50s. Nobody seems to mind. | |
The American / int_98ba5dfe | featureApplicability |
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The American / int_98ba5dfe | featureConfidence |
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The American | hasFeature |
The American / int_98ba5dfe | |
The American / int_9a6990 | type |
Skinny Dipping | |
The American / int_9a6990 | comment |
Skinny Dipping: Clara does it during a picnic and tries to convince Jack to join her. Jack, still wondering if she's an assassin sent after him, declines. | |
The American / int_9a6990 | featureApplicability |
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The American | hasFeature |
The American / int_9a6990 | |
The American / int_a1b76006 | type |
Nerves of Steel | |
The American / int_a1b76006 | comment |
Nerves of Steel: Mathilde tests the silencer by having Jack fire the weapon past her head. | |
The American / int_a1b76006 | featureApplicability |
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The American / int_a1b76006 | featureConfidence |
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The American | hasFeature |
The American / int_a1b76006 | |
The American / int_a20d4674 | type |
Techno Babble | |
The American / int_a20d4674 | comment |
Technobabble: The description Jack gives of the gun and bullets assembled for Mathilde is complete gibberish in terms of actual firearms and how they operate. | |
The American / int_a20d4674 | featureApplicability |
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The American / int_a20d4674 | featureConfidence |
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The American | hasFeature |
The American / int_a20d4674 | |
The American / int_a8896b94 | type |
Leave No Witnesses | |
The American / int_a8896b94 | comment |
Leave No Witnesses: Jack kills his girlfriend in Sweden when she saw him killing a man sent after him. | |
The American / int_a8896b94 | featureApplicability |
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The American / int_a8896b94 | featureConfidence |
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The American | hasFeature |
The American / int_a8896b94 | |
The American / int_ac09dc0f | type |
Alas, Poor Villain | |
The American / int_ac09dc0f | comment |
Alas, Poor Villain: Jack looks pretty close to death near the end. | |
The American / int_ac09dc0f | featureApplicability |
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The American | hasFeature |
The American / int_ac09dc0f | |
The American / int_acedc6c4 | type |
Butterfly of Death and Rebirth | |
The American / int_acedc6c4 | comment |
Butterfly of Death and Rebirth: There is a lot of butterfly symbolism, starting from Jack tattoo and random butterflies showing up in more significant moment. | |
The American / int_acedc6c4 | featureApplicability |
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The American / int_acedc6c4 | featureConfidence |
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The American | hasFeature |
The American / int_acedc6c4 | |
The American / int_b032e4ed | type |
Ms. Fanservice | |
The American / int_b032e4ed | comment |
Ms. Fanservice: Clara is this. She spends half of her screentime naked. Mathilde's second appearance is her in a very figure-hugging dress and thigh-high boots. Jack's girlfriend is first seen naked in bed, with no Modesty Bedsheet covering her. | |
The American / int_b032e4ed | featureApplicability |
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The American / int_b032e4ed | featureConfidence |
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The American | hasFeature |
The American / int_b032e4ed | |
The American / int_b54fe3ce | type |
Classically-Trained Extra | |
The American / int_b54fe3ce | comment |
Classically-Trained Extra: The older Swedish audience may recoginze an old, but respectable and (of course) classically trained stage actor turning up at the start of the movie... only to be shot seconds later. | |
The American / int_b54fe3ce | featureApplicability |
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The American / int_b54fe3ce | featureConfidence |
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The American | hasFeature |
The American / int_b54fe3ce | |
The American / int_be85ff22 | type |
Contract on the Hitman | |
The American / int_be85ff22 | comment |
Contract on the Hitman: Jack's mistakes through the movie eventually lead to this. | |
The American / int_be85ff22 | featureApplicability |
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The American / int_be85ff22 | featureConfidence |
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The American | hasFeature |
The American / int_be85ff22 | |
The American / int_c2fc1ae | type |
Neck Snap | |
The American / int_c2fc1ae | comment |
Neck Snap: Done realistically for once, when Jack disposes of one of the killers. | |
The American / int_c2fc1ae | featureApplicability |
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The American / int_c2fc1ae | featureConfidence |
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The American | hasFeature |
The American / int_c2fc1ae | |
The American / int_c75df49a | type |
Shout-Out | |
The American / int_c75df49a | comment |
Shout-Out: A scene from Once Upon a Time in the West is playing in a bar, a reference to the Spaghetti Western influence on the film. | |
The American / int_c75df49a | featureApplicability |
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The American / int_c75df49a | featureConfidence |
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The American | hasFeature |
The American / int_c75df49a | |
The American / int_c8a8c595 | type |
Retirony | |
The American / int_c8a8c595 | comment |
Retirony: While his final fate is left ambigious, it's most likely Jack will die from his wound, right after finishing his last job. | |
The American / int_c8a8c595 | featureApplicability |
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The American / int_c8a8c595 | featureConfidence |
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The American | hasFeature |
The American / int_c8a8c595 | |
The American / int_db8b1727 | type |
Window Love | |
The American / int_db8b1727 | comment |
Window Love: Apparently dying of a mortal wound, Jack drives to the river and, seeing Clara standing there, presses his bloody fingers to the windshield before collapsing. | |
The American / int_db8b1727 | featureApplicability |
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The American / int_db8b1727 | featureConfidence |
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The American | hasFeature |
The American / int_db8b1727 | |
The American / int_fab98c53 | type |
American Title | |
The American / int_fab98c53 | comment |
American Title: The film's title refers to the nationality of the protagonist Jack. | |
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The American | hasFeature |
The American / int_fab98c53 | |
The American / int_fca3518f | type |
Gun Stripping | |
The American / int_fca3518f | comment |
Gun Stripping: When Jack delivers the gun for Mathilde, it's unassembled. She quickly puts it together without a word. | |
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The American | hasFeature |
The American / int_fca3518f | |
The American / int_name | type |
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The American / int_name | comment |
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The American |
The following is a list of statements referring to the current page from other pages.
The American | hasFeature |
American Title / int_4d349bf7 | |
The American | hasFeature |
Backwards-Firing Gun / int_4d349bf7 | |
The American | hasFeature |
Briefcase Blaster / int_4d349bf7 | |
The American | hasFeature |
Butterfly of Death and Rebirth / int_4d349bf7 | |
The American | hasFeature |
Cacophony Cover-Up / int_4d349bf7 | |
The American | hasFeature |
Classically-Trained Extra / int_4d349bf7 | |
The American | hasFeature |
Contract on the Hitman / int_4d349bf7 | |
The American | hasFeature |
Films of 2010–2014 / int_4d349bf7 | |
The American | hasFeature |
Gun Stripping / int_4d349bf7 | |
The American | hasFeature |
IKEA Weaponry / int_4d349bf7 | |
The American | hasFeature |
Leave No Witnesses / int_4d349bf7 | |
The American | hasFeature |
Professional Killer / int_4d349bf7 | |
The American | hasFeature |
Skinny Dipping / int_4d349bf7 | |
The American | seeAlso |
The American | |
The American | hasFeature |
Time-Delayed Death / int_4d349bf7 | |
The American | hasFeature |
Unproblematic Prostitution / int_4d349bf7 |
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Copyright of data TVTropes.org contributors under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License.