The American is, at heart, a character portrait of a craftsman. It just so happens his craft is making weapons for assassins. On his last job in a remote foreign town, Clooney's character spends his time isolating himself as much as possible while building a gun from spare parts. It's a simple story, but satisfying, and the tension built from scene to scene increases as Clooney tries to figure out his potential post-craftsman life while trying to avoid falling in love or being killed.