Eckhart plays Ben Logan, an apparently mild-mannered engineer who has relocated to Brussels to test security protocols for major conglomerate Halgate. The biggest problem in Ben`s life seems to be his chilly relationship with daughter Amy (Liberato), who is none too happy about having to get used to a brand new country. But, one day, Ben`s new world implodes upon itself and he finds himself on the run from his employers, at the mercy of an international conspiracy that will take pity on no one – not even his daughter.
The biggest problem with The Expatriate is that there really isn`t very much that`s fresh and original about the predicament in which Ben finds himself. We`ve seen it all before: mild-mannered guy turns out to have a past and a history that explains his ability to kick major ass. Bad guys lurking in the shadows and posing as his friends. A mysterious relationship from the past – with his CIA ex-handler Anna Brandt (Kurylenko) – that could either doom or save him. Most of this standard spy-thriller stuff is competently executed but not particularly memorable.
What`s really good (and occasionally great) about The Expatriate is how it turns entirely on Ben`s relationship with his daughter. Unlike many another spy thriller, Ben`s not on the run with a potential love interest, or busting heads and asses to save his kidnapped child. Amy is swept right up in the turmoil of his life, which at least quadruples the stakes and makes for a far more interesting dynamic as she learns more about the father she never really knew. Dad and daughter bicker and bond as bullets fly and people die (there is a very real body count in this film), and come the explosive conclusion, it`s sad to think that this smart little thriller is likely going to pass most people by.
Summary: Catch The Expatriate while you can, before he disappears again into another country and another life.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Shawne Wang