Back in the 1970s, a film like "The American" would be labeled existential. Today it feels merely pointless. An assassin wants to give up the life; a priest likes to reclaim lost souls for God; a prostitute looks for a man to free her; two mysterious underworld characters want the assassin to fabricate one last weapon. The "thriller" elements are stripped bare: There is little backstory or dialogue, but you know where things are headed. At least you do until all sense drops out of the story at the climax. That's the existential part.