A Most Wanted Man (2014)

A Chechen Muslim illegally immigrates to Hamburg, where he gets caught in the international war on terror.

Director:

Anton Corbijn

Writers:

Andrew Bovell (screenplay), John le Carré (novel)

Stars:

Philip Seymour Hoffman, Rachel McAdams, Daniel Brühl

2 wins & 5 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Grigoriy Dobrygin	...	Issa Karpov (as Grigory Dobrygin)
Philip Seymour Hoffman	...	Günther Bachmann
Homayoun Ershadi	...	Abdullah
Mehdi Dehbi	...	Jamal
Neil Malik Abdullah	...	Abdullah's Bodyguard (as Neil Melik Abdullah)
Nina Hoss	...	Irna Frey
Daniel Brühl	...	Maximilian
Vicky Krieps	...	Niki
Kostja Ullmann	...	Rasheed
Franz Hartwig	...	Karl
Martin Wuttke	...	The Admiral
Vedat Erincin	...	Storekeeper
Rainer Bock	...	Dieter Mohr
Derya Alabora	...	Leyla Oktay
Tamer Yigit	...	Melik Oktay

Storyline

When a half-Chechen, half-Russian, brutally tortured immigrant turns up in Hamburg's Islamic community, laying claim to his father's ill gotten fortune, both German and US security agencies take a close interest: as the clock ticks down and the stakes rise, the race is on to establish this most wanted man's true identity - oppressed victim or destruction-bent extremist? Based on John le Carré's novel, A MOST WANTED MAN is a contemporary, cerebral tale of intrigue, love, rivalry, and politics that prickles with tension right through to its last heart-stopping scene.

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Plot Keywords:

spy | intelligence | war on terror | secret service | surveillance camera | 

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Taglines:

Based on the novel by John le Carré

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site

Country:

UK USA Germany

Language:

English Turkish

Release Date:

1 August 2014 (USA)

Also Known As:

El hombre más buscado

Filming Locations:

Berlin, Germany

Box Office

Budget:

$15,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$2,687,227, 27 July 2014

Gross USA:

$17,237,855

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$36,233,517

Company Credits

Production Co:

Lionsgate, Film4, Demarest Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

122 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Datasat Dolby Atmos

Color:

Color Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

With financing from the UK's Film4 secured, Australian writer Andrew Bovell, best-known for writing the complex, sophisticated Australian drama Lantana (2001), was asked to write the script. Lantana (2001) won 7 Australian Film Awards (aka AFI Awards, now called AACTA Awards) and was based on Bovell's own stage play called "Speaking in Tongues". Producer Stephen Cornwell said of the choice of Bovell as screenwriter: "We all had a huge respect for Lantana (2001) which really spoke to a lot of the levels of character intrigue and deception we wanted to have. Lantana (2001) also has the same richness of characterization and storytelling."

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Goofs

Both the folder and the file card associated with the safe-deposit box indicate that it is number 3148, but Brue reads the number aloud as 3448, and that is also how the English subtitle identifies the box number.

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Quotes

Irna Frey: There is a difference between them and us. They want to hurt him. We want to help him. You see, Annabel, we're not your enemy. We're your solution.

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Connections

Featured in Too Young to Die: Philip Seymour Hoffman - Ganz und gar Schauspieler (2015)

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Soundtracks

Hoist That Rag
Written by Kathleen Brennan and Tom Waits
Performed by Tom Waits
© Published by Jalma Music, With Kind Permission of Wintrup Musikverlag/Detmold
Original version on the album: 'Real Gone' © 2004
(P) With Kind Permission of Anti, Inc. / Epitaph Europe BV.

User Reviews

To Make the World a Safer Place

Greetings again from the darkness. If you aren't an avid reader of John le Carre' spy novels, perhaps you've seen movie versions such as Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, The Constant Gardener, or The Russia House. If not, how about director Anton Corbijn's previous film The Amercian (2010 with George Clooney)? The more you've read and seen these, the more you are prepared for this latest.

Mr. le Carre' actually was part of MI5 and MI6 (British Intelligence) and uses his experience even so many years ago to provide the type of post 9/11 anti-terrorism spy thriller that doesn't focus on explosions and gun play, but rather the subtleties of communication when very smart people go up against other very smart people who may or may not share their goals. Secrets and misdirection abound. Traps are set, and sly maneuverings are pre-planned.

As if all that weren't enough, how about another mesmerizing performance from the late Philip Seymour Hoffman? He is a master at the top of his craft here. Sure, maybe the German accent is a bit distracting at first, but it was necessary because movie audiences needed a constant reminder that he is not playing an American! I cannot explain how this chain-smoking, mumbling schlub can so dominate a scene and disappear into a character, but Hoffman most certainly does both.

In addition to a very cool script, excellent support work comes from Grigor Dobrygin as Issa, the central figure in Hoffman's character's work, Willem Dafoe as a somewhat shady banker, as well as Robin Wright, Daniel Bruhl, Nina Hoss, Homayoun Ershadi, and Rainer Bock. The only miscast is Rachel McAdams as rich girl turned terrorist sympathizer.

Parts of the score were excellent - the droning, ominous piano notes. The composer was Herbert Gronemeyer, a German rock star (you'd never know from the score). This is a delicious, challenging look at international spies and how one never knows where they fall on the food chain ... minnow, barracuda, shark. http://moviereviewsfromthedark.com/