A Most Wanted Man Review - 3 Stars

The latest John le Carre film thriller receives added heaviness with the knowledge of the death by overdose of actor Phillip Seymour Hoffman.  He reminds me of a slightly younger Sir Anthony Hopkins in this tale, set in Hamburg, where Hoffman heads a German intelligence unit.  Titles at the film’s beginning reminded us the 9/11 plotters gathered in Hamburg.  We infer that Hoffman has this post as punishment for missing the seeds of the 9/11 conspiracy.  The plot involves a humanitarian lawyer played by Rachael McAdams hired to help an undocumented Russian who comes to Germany to claim his late father’s hefty estate.  Hoffman gets the tip and determines to use the boy to bait a bigger catch — a philanthropist suspected of funneling money to terrorists.  Robin Wright — cruel and cool on “House of Cards” — arrives on the scene as an American CIA operative.  Wright — as you expect — has the ability to smile as she plunges a knife in friends and foe.  “A Most Wanted Man” excels at tension and dread and delivers plenty of both.  As with many of le Carre’s movies, sometimes things get hard to follow.  The pace of the story lulls you into submission and then BAM — something happens to make your heart race. Does it deliver what it promises?  Old school spy thriller with added sadness of Phillip Seymour Hoffman’s death.  Is it entertaining?  Several knock out punches.  Is it worth the price of admission?  An adult rainy day movie treat.