Despite the title, George Clooney is pretty much the only American thing about his newest film.

“The American,” directed by Anton Corbijn, hit theaters last Friday and dominated the weekend box office. For anyone who has seen the previews, that shouldn’t come as a huge surprise. George Clooney, back to his roots and doing some good old American ass-whooping!

So all these people flood to the theaters, dropping their $8 for tickets, and they get what they paid for, right? Well, no, not really. Not at all.

The American

Turns out “The American” is actually a very different kind of movie. It’s very slow, very thoughtful, very quiet … it is in fact, not very American at all. They hinted at another “Bourne Supremacy” and this movie is so … French nouveau or something.

The story follows Jack (Clooney) in rural Italy. He’s an aging spy/assassin — we never really find out what — dealing with some inner turmoil, perhaps romantic — never find that out either. Meanwhile he’s putting together an assassination do-it-yourself kit for some blonde — no idea who she is — and being hunted by … well, someone.

It’s just that kind of movie. One is never entirely sure what is going on until it’s already happened, and even then you can’t really explain it. There’s no mystery he’s trying to solve, no fascist leader to kill. We can tell Jack is disturbed, but there’s no big Hollywood exposition scene showing his haunted past. We actually have to THINK about it.

So it’s funny to me that they advertised this movie  as an action-packed thriller.

It’s a bit strange that they could spin it that way anyway, considering Corbijn’s biggest imdb.com hit is Depeche Mode videos. Plus, Focus Features is hardly known for Bruce Willis/Nicolas Cage-type action theatrics.

The film tried something different, which is tough in the U.S., and it kind of worked. Clooney didn’t blow the role out of the water — he was co-producer, for the record. Leaving things unsaid can draw viewers in, heighten the intellectual and emotional experience and really make a movie. But if you aren’t going to say it out loud, the acting has to say it, or else it’s just a movie that isn’t saying much.

There were absolutely strong elements. Corbijn uses the slow plot and a mix of stunning and dreary landscapes to give a feeling of Jack’s life. There’s a shocking and brutally real edge that punctuates long periods of silence. And the tension throughout the film pulses in and out so subtly you don’t even notice it basically until it’s already over. It is an interesting movie, and a second viewing might prove worth it.

As word gets out to the millions who aren’t looking for the art in movies, don’t let dipping box office numbers deter you. It’s not un-American to appreciate something a little different.