In one of his apt name for a physical therapist crosswordfinal performances, Philip Seymour Hoffman plays Gunter Bachmann, a calculating German intelligence operative who’s stalking a potential Islamic terror suspect in Hamburg, Germany. The late actor immersed himself in his lonely, obsessive character from John le Carré’s 2008 novel. He mentored costars such as Daniel Brühl (

Rush

), who plays one of his underlings, while steering clear of castmates who portrayed rivals or threats. “He went through a very difficult period when we were making it, and you can see that [on screen],” says director Anton Corbijn (

The American

). “You really feel how he struggles. At a certain point, Phil and Gunter become one during the making of it.”

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