A Most Wanted Man

Günther Bachmann, a German intelligence officer running a covert counter-terrorism unit in Hamburg, notices Issa Karpov, a Chechen refugee who has entered the city illegally. His plan is not simple: route the money Karpov has inherited through a suspect philanthropist and trace the funding network. Anton Corbijn directed, from John le Carré's 2008 novel. Philip Seymour Hoffman plays Bachmann, with Rachel McAdams, Willem Dafoe and Robin Wright in the cast. Benoît Delhomme shot it and Herbert Grönemeyer wrote the score. The plan collapses when American and rival German officials arrest Karpov and the philanthropist before Bachmann can turn them into informants. It premiered at Sundance in January 2014 and then competed at the Moscow and Deauville festivals. Rotten Tomatoes sits at 86 percent with generally favourable Metacritic reviews. On a 15 million dollar budget it grossed around 36 million worldwide. It was Hoffman's last completed leading role before his death in February 2014. Who it is for: viewers who like slow espionage and le Carré adaptations. Who it is not for: anyone wanting action. The film is almost entirely surveillance, waiting and meetings.