Here’s good evidence of a studio — unlike say, Warner Bros. and “Jonah Hex” — not being scared to show a trailer several months in advance of its release date (instead of just about 4-5 weeks out in that D.C. Comics film adaptation).
Anton Corbijn‘s follow-up to “Control” (the Ian Curtis biopic), “The American” starring George Clooney, isn’t due in theaters until September 3, 2010, but a trailer has already arrived.
The film was shot in Italy earlier this year and, as we originally reported, it’s a creepy psychological suspense story that follows an assassin (Clooney) to a rural village in southern Italy, where he poses as a quiet artist who paints miniatures of butterflies. He has one more assignment to carry out, but of course romantic entanglements and local friendships complicate his task. The casting has no other names really, but that’s ok, character actors are where it’s at. Thekla Reuten — who appeared “In Bruges” as the pregnant, Belgian hotel owner caught in the middle of a gunfight — co-stars with Bruce Altman, Paolo Bonacelli, Irina Björklund and Violante Placido.
As much as we like Corbijn — a noted music photographer and video director who essentially gave Depeche Mode & U2 a photographic identity — “Control” was a little dry for this writer’s taste, but the sleek, elegant and dramatic trailer for this one bodes well for viewers like us, who crave intelligent and thoughtful filmmaking that doesn’t include claws, catsuits or robots. This also might be one of the last mini-budgeted dramas we see in a while if things keep going the way of 3D and blockbusters. Let’s hope not though.