Clooney and Corbijn Begin Filming 'The American'

Focus Features just let us know that George Clooney has started work on Anton Corbijn's The American, which is filming near the actor's home away from home in Italy. The film is based on Martin Booth's book A Very Private Gentleman, and per his usual, Clooney is also co-producing the film with his partner at Smokehouse, Grant Heslov. Corbijn is one of the most celebrated music video directors and photographers alive, and his 2007 feature film debut, Control, was one of the best-reviewed films of that year. The film is a spy thriller set in Europe, and while the story (detailed below) isn't auspicious in its originality, the combination of Clooney and Corbijn could be electric. Certainly, it's a rather unpredictable pairing. Here's the synopsis, straight from Focus, with a few alterations for brevity:

"Alone among assassins, Jack (Clooney) is a master craftsman. When a job in Sweden ends more harshly than expected for this American abroad, he vows to his contact that his next assignment will be his last. Jack reports to the Italian countryside, where he holes up in a small town and relishes being away from death for a spell. Surprising himself, Jack seeks out the friendship of local priest Father Benedetto and pursues romance. But by stepping out of the shadows, Jack may be tempting fate."

Clooney remains busy and remains more focused on more subdued, intelligent fare than a bunch of giant studio movies. He has The Men Who Stare at Goats and Up in the Air this fall, both of which received great notices at film festivals this month, and Up in the Air is one of the early Oscar hopefuls this year. Having earned this assignment, Corbijn is likely on the precipice of really big things as a filmmaker, even if, at 54, he's taken a roundabout path to starting that career.

Comments

[SEAN]

JEEZ Clooney is now getting major amount of work, along with 2 so called great movies coming out soon...

1st Damon and now Clooney, these guys have some umph! in the industry...

[princess]

54? Isn't he 49? According to Imdb, that is......

[Get The Big Picture]

I went with that other unreliable news source, Wikipedia. But apparently, he had a 50th birthday party in The Hague in 2005, so score one for the 'pedia.