I recently re-visited this movie again. Hotheaded method actor Russell Crowe and acclaimed director Ridley Scott have forged quite a partnership over the last decade. Crowe's commitment to his craft and Scott's precise vision have been a perfect match, allowing the award-winning collaborators to charge through lavish productions, forgotten history, and controversial subject matter with great success. After inspiring a Roman revolution and taking home Oscar gold with Gladiator, the pair tackled love and prosperity in A Good Year, the rough-n-tumble criminal underworld of '70s Harlem in American Gangster, and, most recently, the disconnect between American and Middle Eastern interests in Body of Lies. Roger Ferris (Leonardo DiCaprio), an undercover CIA agent working in Jordan, turns tragedy into opportunity when a botched assignment nets him precious intel concerning a terrorist cell led by an elusive mastermind named Al-Saleem (Alon Abutbul). Reporting directly to his supervisor at Langley, Ed Hoffman (Russell Crowe), and working to maintain a shaky relationship with the Chief of Jordanian Intelligence, Hani (Mark Strong), Ferris struggles to appease both men, stop a recent outbreak of global terrorist attacks, and keep his head on his shoulders (quite literally). Caught between two warring factions and two diverse cultures, Ferris devises a clever plan he hopes will trap Al-Saleem, satisfy Hoffman's demands, and strengthen Hani's trust in his countrymen. Body of Lies manages to rise above the genre fray with the help of screenwriter William Monahan's unconventional script and Crowe, DiCaprio, and Strong's electric performances. Ferris isn't simply a brash upstart; he has a keen sense of the situation, respect for Hani's authority and culture, and a distinct understanding of his own duty. Hoffman, on the other hand, is lazy, self-centered, and pushy; a man who constantly ignores cultural sensitivities in favor of blunt shock and awe. His encounters with Ferris dabble in the debate at the heart of American involvement in the Middle East. The two allies never turn on each other (as one might expect after watching the misleading theatrical trailers), but their constant bickering illuminates the internal arguments that have embroiled US agencies and officials for decades. Their's is a particularly refreshing relationship that defies the typical trappings of geopolitical thrillers and leads to plenty of exciting exchanges. Hani is the world-weary power-player caught between Ferris and Hoffman's differing methodologies; a man whose interest in his homeland far outweighs his need to engage in global politics. It's this trio of characters and performances that grabs hold of the story and molds it into a different beast entirely. Thankfully, Scott and Monahan make few attempts to disguise their political agenda. Both storytellers go to great lengths to focus on the cultural tug-of-war that continues to keep the world at odds. There's always a force who wants things their way, always a force who longs to reach a middle-ground, and always a force content with protecting personal interests. It's Scott and Monahan's experiments with these three philosophies that allow the film to emerge as a rare and effective political morality tale; a study of exactly what perpetuates conflict and what helps to subvert it. Unfortunately, Body of Lies stumbles upon reaching these lofty heights with a few tired developments. After incorporating a contrived romance into the story, fumbling around with the film's pacing, and devising a fairly anticlimactic closer, the filmmakers lose their grasp on what could have made the film so wholly and utterly unique. Fleeting flaws and missed opportunities aside, Body of Lies works on several fundamental levels. It soars as a tense, action-packed thriller, earns legitimate laughs with a surprising dose of humor, and pits three fantastic performers against each other in a game of wits and lives. The film may occasionally meander and get lost in its own tangential subplots, but I still found myself enjoying it from beginning to end.
Review of Body of Lies
