Overview
A chilling exploration of friendship and moral decay in the world of crime.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Brutal
- brooding
- atmospheric
- paranoid
- late night cinephile viewing
- rainy day
What critics said
Critics broadly regard the film as a stylish, atmospheric slow-burning existential thriller that transforms its source novel through rich character relationships and noir mood.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The film turns a criminal thriller into an atmospheric study of mortality, identity, and compromised agency across European locations.
Ripley and Zimmermann develop an uneasy dependence as the picture framer is drawn into murder and later needs Ripley's help.
Wenders emphasizes Munich, Paris, and New York through stylized compositions, strong color contrasts, and atmospheric spaces.
Zimmermann's rumored terminal illness and fear of leaving his family penniless motivate his movement toward contract killing.
Films like The American Friend, and why
The Conformist
shared neo-noir atmosphere, criminal intrigue, moral ambiguity, and existential tension
Le Samouraï
shared European crime setting, stylized visual design, alienated characters, and fatalistic suspense
Purple Noon
shared Patricia Highsmith adaptation, psychological crime plotting, identity unease, and noir tension
The Long Goodbye
shared slow-burn crime suspense, male intimacy, atmospheric locations, and morally compromised protagonists
Movie Details
- Director
- Wim Wenders
- Release Date
- 1977-06-24
- Runtime
- 125 min
- Rating
- 7.1 / 10 (461)
Cast
- Dennis Hopper
- Bruno Ganz
- Lisa Kreuzer
- Gérard Blain
- Nicholas Ray
- Samuel Fuller
- Peter Lilienthal
- Daniel Schmid
- Sandy Whitelaw
- Jean Eustache
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The American Friend about?
- A terminally ill picture framer is manipulated into becoming a contract killer, binding him to the enigmatic Tom Ripley in a stylish, existential European noir.
- What is The American Friend like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The American Friend as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is The American Friend violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in The American Friend as brutal.
- What did critics think of The American Friend?
- Critics broadly regard the film as a stylish, atmospheric slow-burning existential thriller that transforms its source novel through rich character relationships and noir mood.
- Which films are like The American Friend?
- Films with a similar feel include The Conformist, Le Samouraï, Purple Noon, and The Long Goodbye.
- How long is The American Friend?
- The American Friend runs 125 minutes.
- Where can I watch The American Friend?
- In United States, The American Friend is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home.
