The Virtuoso review
Large extended sequences in The Virtuoso detail the skill of its main character, a meticulous and precise hitman. A better title might have been The Not-So-Professional as Anson Mount’s character is hardly unrivaled at what he does best.
The film plays out like a classic noir complete with inner monologue/narration from the main character.
Mount (The Inhumans) stars as the no-named hitman. He takes pride in doing his job well and based on his narration, presumably his spent a few decades perfecting his craft.
That’s great and all, but from all we see, The Virtuoso is pretty lousy at his job. He drones on and on about shutting out distractions and focusing on the task at hand. Naturally, he forgets that and has a major screw up resulting in collateral damage that haunts him throughout the film.
At least this leads to a dubious pep talk of sorts from his contractor/mentor (Anthony Hopkins, Thor: Ragnarok). As far as cheering up someone who already feels crummy goes, the mentor is equally lousy. Still, it gives Hopkins a chance to wax philosophically for a few moments and that’s never a bad thing. For its faults, The Virtuoso doesn’t waste having Hopkins among the cast.
The hitman takes a new target only he’s got little to work with beyond a vague name. Our hitman is a better assassin than detective and bumbles his way through finding the actual mark.
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In this case the narration doesn’t help matters as it makes the hitman’s procedures and logic come off as highly questionable. He seems to miss basic clues and makes some assumptions that are a real stretch with nothing to base it on besides his instincts.
Screenwriter James C. Wolf figures this is a compelling way to approach the script, but the hitman keeps making frustrating rookie mistakes as if he’s never tackled this kind of assignment before. Maybe Wolf could have explained this better as the hitman is questioning himself and his skills after his previous mistake, but there’s not enough explanation for why he’s suddenly become so sloppy.
He does find some solace with a flirty waitress (Abbie Cornish, Robocop) that is both a little too mysterious and interested. Mount is an ideal candidate for the lonely hitman role. He’s got a classic stoic face, the piercing eyes and his beard is exquisite. Cornish gives the waitress an easygoing seductive nature although the script doesn’t do her a lot of favors in terms of how she has to play the role.
The rest of the supporting cast, including Richard Brake (The Mandalorian), David Morse (Concussion) and Eddie Marsan (The Gentlemen) as potential targets, is solid although they don’t get nearly as much screen time to register beyond shifty options.
Director Nick Stagliano sets up the intrigue well enough and incorporates the narration method of advancing the story without any trouble. Stagliano stages the action scenes like short, quick bursts. They don’t rely on choppy, jarring editing and starts and end just as quickly as they begin to add another dose of realism.
While the incompetent hitman makes for some surprisingly perverse entertainment the final act is the kill shot to any fun. The “twist” felt too telegraphed and adds to the frustration about the hitman’s deductive reasoning.
The Virtuoso is lazily amusing for most of its nearly two hours run time, but its final moments ruin the investment and make the viewers feel like the actual mark.
Rating: 4 out of 10
Photo Credit: Lionsgate