‘Every betrayal begins with trust’
The Virtuoso is a 2021 American thriller about a hitman sent on a cryptic assignment who is entranced by an alluring woman.
Directed by Nick Stagliano from a screenplay written by James C. Wolf, the Nazz Productions movie stars Anthony Hopkins, Abbie Cornish, Anson Mount, Diora Baird and Eddie Marsan.
Danger, deception, and murder descend upon a sleepy country town when a professional assassin (Anson Mount) accepts a new assignment from his enigmatic mentor and boss (Anthony Hopkins).
Given only where and when along with a cryptic clue, the methodical hitman must identify his mysterious mark from among several possible targets, including a local sheriff (David Morse).
Meanwhile, a chance encounter with an alluring woman (Abbie Cornish) at the town’s rustic diner threatens to derail his mission…
Reviews:
“The film could have been performed brilliantly with better and clever writing. But all words were focused on making the character chatter the wise words rather than using them in the narrative itself. The film fails to create a mark. The best you would remember is Anthony Hopkins’s performance…” Digital Mafia Talkies
“The Virtuoso is meandering yet thin, big on mood and stylish direction from Stagliano but low on that most crucial of things – thrills. It’s neither fun, or trashy, it’s passable if only because of two supporting players offering more than just a slow build to a predictable end.” Filmhounds
” …anything potentially interesting there is about the titular hitman is squandered once the real plot kicks in. That mystery turns out to be generic and unsatisfactory. The Virtuoso occasionally gets to interact with a waitress that’s interested in him, except he can’t let his guard down for a second around her hinting at the reality that even if he wants to…” Flickering Myth
” …unfussy use of remote, woodsy settings suits the wintry story, which is strongest in its off-center observations and asides. The central puzzle fizzles more with each turn of the plot, and The Virtuoso finally feels like a game, a not particularly compelling brainteaser. The payoff makes sense, but it delivers far less than intended.” The Hollywood Reporter
“Give Stagliano credit for taking a subtle approach to the violence and fleshing out its main character. The film doesn’t evolve to John Wick levels of mayhem, but considering the film looked iffy from the outset, that it manages to tell a coherent story with dialogues on trauma and relationships proves we shouldn’t always judge a book by its cover.” The Only Critic
“The Virtuoso shows early potential to evolve into an engrossing assassination procedural. Ultimately it drowses in the shade of more progressive hitman flicks and struggles to impose its identity on an already crowded genre strand.” The People’s Movies
Release date:
Lionsgate Movies will release The Virtuoso theatrically in select locations and On-Demand on April 30th 2021.
Cast and characters:
Anthony Hopkins … The Mentor
Abbie Cornish … The Waitress
Anson Mount … The Virtuoso
Diora Baird … Johnnie’s Girl
Eddie Marsan … The Loner
David Morse … The Deputy
Richard Brake … Handsome Johnnie
Chris Perfetti … The Motel Clerk
Blaise Corrigan … Dude / Victim
Jenna Hellmuth … The Mom
Shay Guthrie … Camaro Girl
Ryan Jonze … Camaro Punk
Estelle Girard Parks … Young Woman
Lory Molino … Background
Basil Kershner … Pedestrian
Filming locations:
Pocono Mountains, Pennsylvania
Trailer:
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