Summary

American Star is a thriller starring Ian McShane as an aging hitman on his last assignment.
The film rejects conventions and expectations, opting for a more understated and provocative narrative.
McShane’s performance injects humanity into the character, straddling the line between good and evil.

An aging hitman has become tired of his profession and wants out. Solitude, peace, and freedom are luxuries for a man drenched in blood. He is out on what could be his last job. One last job… well, we all know what that means. You might think you understand what will happen in American Star, but screenwriter Nacho Faerna and director Gonzalo López-Gallego have other plans in mind. They want the audience to discard any expectations and experience the journey.

American Star is a 2024 thriller starring Ian McShane. Directed by Gonzalo López-Gallego, American Star follows an assassin who, during his last mission, becomes drawn to a secluded island, its people, and a mysterious shipwreck.ProsAmerican Star isn’t a clichéd storyThe film hinges on Ian McShane’s excellent performance ConsThe thriller requires some patience to get throughAmerican Star can be heavy-handed

American Star Is A Poignant Study Of Mortality

Ian McShane plays Wilson, an assassin who is on what may be his last assignment. He arrives at the beautiful, picturesque island of Fuerteventura and waits. His target is delayed, so he waits, engaging with the scenery, the people, and the culture. The movie’s title is in reference to a wrecked ship that Wilson wants to see. The ship puts Wilson’s life into perspective.

This film is far more languid and indirect, with
American
Star
opting to reject convention and expectations for something more understated and provocative.

American Star offers a slightly heavy-handed but poignant means of exploring his mortality. The reality is that Wilson is on course to reach the end of his horizon; there is very little left in the ocean to explore. With what feels like a million close-ups on the actor’s face, McShane articulates the weight of the realization that the end is near, and it is daunting but liberating as well.

American Star Is An Understated Thriller

Many will watch American Star expecting some spiritual connection to the John Wick franchise. If they made different choices, one could logically believe that Wilson is some version of Keaune Reeves’ John Wick or McShane’s Winston. However, that thought can immediately be struck from our minds as this film is far more languid and indirect, with American Star opting to reject convention and expectations for something more understated and provocative.

Wilson is left to meander as our assassin is made to kill time and not his target, who is conveniently not present at the designated time. The meandering is endearing as we get to know Wilson and attempt to fill in the gaps. Why did he become an assassin? What has he seen? What has he done? We see him put his guard down and laugh occasionally, and again, we wonder. Has he ever loved? Does he have children? What would he have become instead? American Star requires an immense level of patience. Otherwise, López-Gallego’s contemplative drama loses its luster.

American Star Is Grounded By Ian McShane’s Performance

López-Gallego and McShane take what could have been a clichéd story of an aging hitman and inject an immense amount of humanity. McShane has played numerous questionable characters, but what he nails as Wilson is that precise performance that straddles the line between good and evil. Here, he is neither withholding nor abrasive. He gently guides us on this journey as Wilson lets the serenity of his surroundings open him up. His tense, strong persona fades away as he spends more time sightseeing and gazing out than doing his actual job — killing people.

McShane is in no rush to get us to pity Wilson or even sympathize with him. The quiet restraint of McShane’s performance is crucial to the enjoyment of this film. We are in the presence of an actor who can act, and that’s saying something these days. This dialed-down thriller is worth seeing thanks to its eye-catching cinematography, intense atmosphere and absorbing lead performance. The convention is tossed out in favor of a cool, moody interpretation of a classic genre narrative.

Cliché dialogue about a hitman’s history of violence, regrets, and lost humanity is replaced by a dialogue-light walk through one man’s melancholy. However, everything in American Star hinges on McShane’s intuitive performance that rejects the obvious and embraces ambiguity.

American Star Release Date January 26, 2024 Director Gonzalo Lopez-Gallego Cast Ian McShane , Thomas Kretschmann , Nora Arnezeder , Adam Nagaitis , Fanny Ardant Writers Nacho Faerna Distributor(s) IFC Films