The Virtuoso Review: A Stylish Noir Cloak-and-Dagger

Release date: April 30, 2021
Running time: 110 minutes
Directed By: Nick Stagliano
Written By: James C. Wolf
Starring: Anson Mount, Abbie Cornish, Eddie Marsan, Diora Baird, Richard Brake, with David Morse and Anthony Hopkins

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 (Oscar® winner Anthony Hopkins). Given only where and when along with a cryptic clue, the methodical hit man 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 in this noir-style cloak-and-dagger thriller.

The Virtuoso wears its noir inspiration on its sleeve, with a mysterious main character who often seems to be plotting his next move, and a mysterious game of cat and mouse that will keep you guessing what will happen next.  The film starts with an explosive opening that shows how cold the main character can be, but also how good he is at his job.  His character is intriguing and I love the way that he narrates everything that happens, letting you get in his head.  And Abbie Cornish is another fun character who plays the Waitress perfectly.  She doesn't have a lot of time but quickly establishes a rapport with Mount.  Although the main draw of this film is Anthony Hopkins, his character just doesn't have much of a role in the film.  He is the mentor but we don't get to see much of him, probably because of the indie budget in this movie.  

But the main conflict in the film, as can often be the case in films where someone questions their previous choices, feels manufactured.  Not the cat and mouse game that occurs, but the event that leads to that game just doesn't have the emotional impact that I think it should have.  It is also tough to believe given the actions of the Virtuoso during the film.  I am not sure what could have been done to make it more realistic, but the triggering event could have fit in better with the story I think.  And the film does have some strange, unrealistic sound effects at times, but this might have just been the screener I was watching.  That being said, the story of the film is compact but has enough twists and turns to keep you guessing.  As with any good cloak-and-dagger, you are left in the dark until the very end with a nice ending that ties everything together.  

The Virtuoso is a stylish noir film with great style, an interesting story that will keep you guessing, and entertaining leads.  

Rent it.

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The Virtuoso in select theaters and everywhere you rent movies on April 30th; on Blu-ray and DVD May 4th. For theatrical showtimes, click here. 

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