The title character of Nick Stagliano’s would-be action thriller is a hit-man so famous for his skill at murder as to be regarded as a master of his grisly trade, and so secretive about his personal life that he is literally a man with no name.
But the others who figure in the inane plot are not named either; everyone is apparently intended to be taken as a symbol or type rather than a real human being—something that, given the thinness of the characterizations, seems all too true.
The Virtuoso (Anson Mount, thoroughly impassive) receives his commissions from The Mentor (Anthony Hopkins, coasting on his voice and manner rather than bothering to act). Sadly, his latest assignment—a rush job—goes awry, and a young mother playing in the street with her son is killed.
The Virtuoso is so distraught over the tragedy that he goes into hiding, and The Mentor has to track him down at his father’s grave. In a contrived scene in the cemetery, Hopkins delivers the sole high point of his performance—a long monologue about how he and The Virtuoso’s dad participated in a My Lai-like massacre in Vietnam but managed to get over the trauma. He then assigns his protégé another urgent mission—killing a rogue agent. Unfortunately, the target cannot be precisely identified: all The Virtuoso is told is where he can find the person—at a remote diner at a particular time.
There The Virtuoso encounters a number of potential victims: The Loner (Eddie Marsan), an older man with a gun; The Deputy (David Morse), a cop who has stopped in for coffee; and Handsome Johnnie (Richard Brake), a fellow at a table with his girlfriend (Diora Baird). All are being served by The Waitress (Abbie Cornish), who flirts with The Virtuoso. What follows is a turgid parade of carnage as The Virtuoso deals with each of them. For all the build-up about his expertise, he proves a singularly clumsy and inept assassin, haunted by the “collateral damage” of his last mission and fated to add a good deal more as he bungles his encounter with each suspect.
Making things worse is the dreary narration Mount delivers throughout, explaining in a dry monotone what he is doing while he does it, and why. It renders the plot even more cruelly tedious than it might otherwise be. Without spoiling things for anyone who might still be interested in watching The Virtuoso, Stagliano provides a twist ending, but it is unlikely to come as much of a surprise. and even if it does, it will hardly cause a viewer’s pulse to race. Despite the title, this is a sub-journeyman piece of work. Not recommended.