The International (2009)

Directed by: Tom Tykwer | 118 minutes | drama, thriller | Actors: Clive Owen, Naomi Watts, Armin Mueller-Stahl, Brian F. O’Byrne, Remy Auberjonois, Patrick Baladi, Luca Barbareschi, Daniel Burress, Luca Calvani, Pasquale Cassalia, Chris Henry Coffey, Alex Cranmer, Logan Crawford, Elisangela, Allessandro Fabrizi, Marco Gambino, Natalie Gold, Takako Haywood, Lars Joermann, Ryan Michael Jones, Ty Jones, Loris Loddi, Natalia Magni, Jack McGee, Lucian Msamati, Isabella Palmieri, Matt Patresi, Darren Petti, James Rebhorn, Robert Salerno, Fabrice Scott, Nicole Shalhoub, Victor Slezak, Felix Solis, Nilaja Sun, Ulrich Thomsen, Ben Van Bergen, Michel Voletti, Ricky Watson, Bob Weston

German director Tom Tykwer was particularly acclaimed for his 1998 film ‘Lola Rennt’, his ticket to Hollywood, you might say. He made three more smaller European films before embarking on his intended opus magnum, “Perfume: The Story of a Murderer,” in 2006. This was a monster project, after the beloved book by Patrick Süskind, which Stanley Kubrick described as ‘unfilmable’. Maybe he was right. However, the driven Tykwer pulled out all the stops to make the project a success and the final, ambitious film adaptation was absolutely impressive, but it just fell short of the essence. In terms of box office, it was also disappointing, while ‘Perfume’ is known as the most expensive German film to date.

It is therefore only three years later that ‘The International’ is made. This time a more modest story and concept, with a slightly less ambitious budget perhaps, but the first steps in Hollywood. Clive Owen and Naomi Watts in the lead roles, yes, that’s A status. A good start. The theme of this story must appeal to us today: banks want to make us slaves to debt and will do anything for it. Because, as always, it is about power and control and therefore often about money and banks are about money. And of course that gets out of hand, just as it sooner or later works with power and money. Another theme is the struggle of the individual (Owen) who fights against the system and cannot win unless he is willing to go to the extreme; a role that fits Clive Owen like a glove (think: ‘Shoot em Up’, ‘Sin City’ and ‘Children of Men’). He convinces with his usual venom. The story is reminiscent of thrillers by John le Carré and Ludlum, with international intrigue, espionage-like practices and all the rottenness that comes with it. No excess of computers and other gadgets (fortunately) and in that sense quite a sober story. No excess of broken cars and buildings, or other collateral damage, but just a solid story, with a lovely shoot-out towards the end. Without too big surprises, but not too complicated and fascinating enough for its 118 minutes.

The cast is well supplemented from an international angle with old hands in the field such as Armin Mueller-Stahl and the Dane Ulrich Thomsen (from ‘Festen’; 1998). And Tykwer, who always composed his own music in his German films, was also allowed to interfere a little with the music. The script by debutant Eric Singer is solid, solid, like from the book ‘how do I write a crime thriller’. All in all, a fitting whole.

No, Oscars and the like are not in it for this film, which doesn’t really surprise anywhere, except perhaps in the way Owen and Watts discover where the gunmen of an attack have been(!). And that is disappointing for a director who was regarded as a European promise and who can certainly be called one of Germany’s great talents. But Tom Tykwer probably hasn’t been filmed yet. Perhaps ‘The International’ has brought in some cash and goodwill at the Hollywood studios and Tykwer will get another chance to make something really special. Because despite the fact that ‘The International’ is an entertaining film, it could have been made by ten other directors.