Capsule reviews of 'The American,' 'Machete' and 'Going the Distance'

Capsule reviews of films opening this week:"The American" — Hidden from critics until just before its release, the dirty secret about Anton Corbijn's movie turns out to be that it's an "art film." Heavens, no! Corbijn, a famed photographer and music video director whose first film was 2007's "Control," has crafted a quiet, haunting European thriller, drained of emotion and moving at its own deliberate pace. George Clooney plays Jack, an assassin who builds highly precise rifles with the care of an artisan. He's laying low in a stone labyrinth of a town in Abruzzo, the mountainous region in Italy. Though he's supposed to be fully hardened, Jack slowly reveals weak spots for love, companionship and, yes, butterflies, one of which he has tattooed on his back. That "The American" is beautiful to look at is unquestionable; Corbijn's formal mastery is something to behold. What is finally slightly disappointing in the film is the familiarity of its story: another tale of "one last job." It's difficult not to want Corbijn's mournful seriousness to ease up a bit, but "The American" is transfixing in its muted grace. R for violence, sexual content and nudity. 105 minutes. Three stars out of four.— Jake Coyle, AP Entertainment Writer"Going the Distance" — Drew Barrymore and Jason Long star as two young, ambitious hipsters so similar that they might as well have the same brain. As soon as they meet, their patter and laughter is nonstop, and after close to two hours with them, you may start wishing for mechanical troubles on one of the cross-country flights that connects their long-distance relationship. The film, directed by documentarian Nanette Burstein, charts the trials of early 30s love, strained by logistics and the recession. The main alteration to the simple formula of "Going the Distance" is a heavy insertion of R-rated humour. Most of the crudeness comes from the supporting cast, largely populated by comedians: Charlie Day, Jason Sudeikis, Jim Gaffigan, Rob Riggle, Kristen Schall and Christina Applegate in c

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