Der amerikanische Freund

Wim Wenders is a serious intellectual, and some of his films are so slow and introspective that they are indigestible for the average viewer. The American Friend is a step into a territory where completely different creators operate, and his film could be described as a psychological thriller. Several scenes balance on the edge of the action genre, but Wenders is evidently interested in something else - the psychology of his characters, their relationships, and their motivations. It's not a perfect film, as the screenplay contains some improbable motives, and the deception in Paris is transparent. Wenders leaves a lot to his audience and doesn't reveal much about his characters, which is only to the benefit of the matter because the viewer's imagination can work at full speed, giving the film a mysterious dimension. Dennis Hopper plays one of his typical villains, but his character is far from one-dimensional and is among the most interesting characters he has created in his career. Overall impression: 80%. (16.11.2009)

Ein existentialistisches Thrillerdrama über die Manipulation des Menschen in einer schwierigen Situation und die seltsam verworrene Freundschaft zweier verlorener. Ein gewöhnlicher Zuschauer, der einen geradlinigen Thriller erwartet, wird sich zwangsläufig langweilen, aber diejenigen, die bereits wissen, was sie von Wim Wenders erwarten können, werden von der angenehm tiefgründigen Geschichte begeistert sein, verstärkt durch die hypnotische Kameraarbeit von Robby Müller und die markante Musik von Jürgen Knieper. Die fesselnden schauspielerischen Leistungen beider Hauptdarsteller, Bruno Ganz und Dennis Hopper, unterstreichen das Ganze, und ihre gemeinsamen Szenen wirken vollkommen natürlich, und man möchte ihren Schicksalen noch etwas länger folgen. Ich applaudiere beiden Herren. (17.02.2019)

This is a movie that, for me, is right on the line between being great and being just plain good. Wim Wenders has confident and good direction, but that doesn't change the fact that I was bored at times. However, fundamentally, I have no complaints about the acting. The actors succeed in building an atmosphere in harmony with the setting and the director's intentions. (04.11.2015)