This is a fantastic crime thriller, full of suspense and very much in the style of those great films from the 1970s such as Get Carter (1971) and The Day Of The Jackal (1973), with a hint of espionage about the story and with a slow burning plot that occasionally explodes into sudden violence. George Clooney plays Jack, a cold professional assassin, who is recuperating between jobs in Sweden when there's an attempt on his life. He flees to Rome and makes contact with his underworld fixer who sends him to a small picturesque village in the heart of Italy. Jack is given a job to build a sniper rifle for use by another killer and agrees to do so on the condition it's his last job. But no-one can be trusted. This is a tale about betrayal, redemption and there's a bit of 007 about Jack although he's no spy. Indeed the character is laconic to the extent that you can see Clooney channelling Clint Eastwood's 70s persona into his performance. This is not an action film but a though provoking thriller that works on every level, from the beautiful cinematography to the taut excitement when Jack is forced into violence. A gem of a film and one I highly recommend if you've not seen it.
Don't get me wrong, the film's not boring or inconsequential. It just didn't have that 'zing' which makes you remember it for a long time. In fact, that's why I've earmarked it to watch again when it's shown on TV. It's worth the time just for George Clooney, who's at his magnetic best. But then, I could never be bored watching George Clooney.