A Most Wanted Man takes a concise look at the moving pieces of intelligence work and some of the perplexing lines intelligence workers are willing to cross in the name of counter-terrorism. In what is his last complete work, Philip Seymour Hoffman, who died in February of this year, plays an anchoring role which contributes to the success of the film. Though none of the main characters are developed at great length, actor Grigoriy Dobrygin gave an unexpectedly strong performance, while Rachel McAdams and Willem Dafoe delivered above average character portrayals, as usual. Among this film’s successes are the questions it prompts in its audience. If you’re watching with any group of thinking people, a discussion is bound to follow the film. That is a great thing. While the pacing is a little slow in the beginning, and some the film’s humor is on the subtle or laconic side, these need not be counted as negatives. The film goes a little bit for that “smart” type of presentation that can sometimes become too cozy or pretentious, however A Most Wanted Man strikes a good balance between stringing you along and leaving room for you to ponder things here and there.
8/10 – Though not great in any particular respect, this is a good film.