The film is an epic drama that tells the turbulent love story between socialite Sarah Jordan (Angelina Jolie) and doctor Nick Callahan (Clive Owen). Sarah is married to Henry Bauford (Linus Roache), the son of a wealthy English businessman. When Sarah meets Callahan, she is fascinated by his humanitarian ideas as he helps refugees in Africa. Determined to be happy, she embarks with Callahan on an exciting journey to the African continent.
By showing social militancy in humanitarian causes and the romance between a socialite (Angelina Jolie) and an engaged doctor (Clive Owen, from Dealer and Murder in Gosford Park), both English, in three moments in three different countries between 1984 and 1995, director Martin Campbell and his photographer Phil Meheux (partners in the films 007 against Goldeneye and The Mask of Zorro), opt for a palette of cliché images. Just notice the underlying discourse behind these images. Ethiopia, with the air of a sunny Africa full of mosquitoes, with a kind of vital energy that disturbs the conscience of well-thinking Anglo-Saxons; a humid Cambodia, with unctuous landscapes that seem to the West to hide inaccessible secrets of another civilization; and a Chechnya of glacial, metallic gray beauty, suitable for Angelina to parade in her best clothes in the film. These are clichés that could even have some validity, if the film's great themes, politics and love, were properly treated.
Few times, by the way, has a Hollywood project made such an effort to portray this type of social tragedy (caused or complicated by political and/or climatic problems) in such a wealth of detail - and for that, first-time screenwriter Caspian Tredwell-Owen deserves applause. I say 'deserve' for a very simple reason: after a certain moment, he decides to change the focus of his plot and focus on the romance between Nick and Sarah, which is disappointing. If addressing humanitarian efforts around the planet is an admirable move, putting them on the back burner to prioritize a love story is more than frustrating; it's unforgivable.
The involvement between the characters of Owen and Jolie is unlikely: portrayed in an excessively bitter way, Nick is a cold and aggressive guy who never evaluates the consequences of his actions. His attitude at the fundraiser, for example, soon ceases to arouse our admiration, as it turns out to be a selfish attitude that results in the death of an innocent child - a responsibility that does not cease to exist simply because Nick recognizes it (the film seems to believe that, by being aware of his mistakes, the doctor is automatically redeemed, which is an offense to anyone's common sense). Compromising even the negotiations of his companion Elliot Hauser (this one, yes, worthy of admiration), Nick comes to irritate with his self-pity. Now I ask: what, in a guy like this, could attract Sarah?
Sarah, in turn, proves to be a slightly more interesting figure, as she crosses a clear dramatic arc throughout the projection: initially displaced in a country like Ethiopia (she even wears perfume on her trip), the girl at few realize that donating a shipment of food does not even work as a palliative for all that poverty - which leads her to adopt a more active and admirable posture. However, the character also reverts to superficiality from the moment her love affair comes to the fore, and she goes so far as to interrupt an important speech because she is grieving for Nick. Now, what does your flirtation interest you in the face of the death of millions of people around the world? To make matters worse, Sarah even ends up turning into a kind of Lara Croft in the third act of the projection (which, by the way, is embarrassingly bad).
Using the misery of others as a backdrop for a weak romance, Beyond Borders misses the chance to become a relevant project in order to show Jolie suffering for a man. At times, the film seems willing to discuss important issues, such as the difficulty in bringing aid to countries whose government systems are displeasing to the United States and the ethical dilemmas faced by NGO volunteers, who must refrain from any involvement with politics. (as revolting as it may be) so that their assistance work is not compromised - but the script soon discards these themes and returns to what interests him: the melodrama (in a certain scene, someone even asks: 'Are you willing to risk everything for love?').
After acting in this production, Angelina Jolie decided to adopt a Cambodian child and became a UN Goodwill Ambassador - in a clear indication that her experiences in the different locations used by the project affected her significantly. It is unfortunate, therefore, that the film itself is so futile, as its behind-the-scenes seems to have represented a strong experience for all involved.
But African landscapes, the title does not let us forget, are not enough. Until the long-awaited love scene, the protagonists will still pass through Cambodia and Chechnya, which will allow the director and his athletic actress (Jolie) to gradually enter the territory they dominate best, that of action films. Still, Campbell won't spare us his cheap emotional blackmail, demonstrating just how low it can get by placing, at some point in his interminable narrative, a grenade in the hands of a baby.
By showing social militancy in humanitarian causes and the romance between a socialite (Angelina Jolie) and an engaged doctor (Clive Owen, from Dealer and Murder in Gosford Park), both English, in three moments in three different countries between 1984 and 1995, director Martin Campbell and his photographer Phil Meheux (partners in the films 007 against Goldeneye and The Mask of Zorro), opt for a palette of cliché images. Just notice the underlying discourse behind these images. Ethiopia, with the air of a sunny Africa full of mosquitoes, with a kind of vital energy that disturbs the conscience of well-thinking Anglo-Saxons; a humid Cambodia, with unctuous landscapes that seem to the West to hide inaccessible secrets of another civilization; and a Chechnya of glacial, metallic gray beauty, suitable for Angelina to parade in her best clothes in the film. These are clichés that could even have some validity, if the film's great themes, politics and love, were properly treated.
Few times, by the way, has a Hollywood project made such an effort to portray this type of social tragedy (caused or complicated by political and/or climatic problems) in such a wealth of detail - and for that, first-time screenwriter Caspian Tredwell-Owen deserves applause. I say 'deserve' for a very simple reason: after a certain moment, he decides to change the focus of his plot and focus on the romance between Nick and Sarah, which is disappointing. If addressing humanitarian efforts around the planet is an admirable move, putting them on the back burner to prioritize a love story is more than frustrating; it's unforgivable.
The involvement between the characters of Owen and Jolie is unlikely: portrayed in an excessively bitter way, Nick is a cold and aggressive guy who never evaluates the consequences of his actions. His attitude at the fundraiser, for example, soon ceases to arouse our admiration, as it turns out to be a selfish attitude that results in the death of an innocent child - a responsibility that does not cease to exist simply because Nick recognizes it (the film seems to believe that, by being aware of his mistakes, the doctor is automatically redeemed, which is an offense to anyone's common sense). Compromising even the negotiations of his companion Elliot Hauser (this one, yes, worthy of admiration), Nick comes to irritate with his self-pity. Now I ask: what, in a guy like this, could attract Sarah?
Sarah, in turn, proves to be a slightly more interesting figure, as she crosses a clear dramatic arc throughout the projection: initially displaced in a country like Ethiopia (she even wears perfume on her trip), the girl at few realize that donating a shipment of food does not even work as a palliative for all that poverty - which leads her to adopt a more active and admirable posture. However, the character also reverts to superficiality from the moment her love affair comes to the fore, and she goes so far as to interrupt an important speech because she is grieving for Nick. Now, what does your flirtation interest you in the face of the death of millions of people around the world? To make matters worse, Sarah even ends up turning into a kind of Lara Croft in the third act of the projection (which, by the way, is embarrassingly bad).
Using the misery of others as a backdrop for a weak romance, Beyond Borders misses the chance to become a relevant project in order to show Jolie suffering for a man. At times, the film seems willing to discuss important issues, such as the difficulty in bringing aid to countries whose government systems are displeasing to the United States and the ethical dilemmas faced by NGO volunteers, who must refrain from any involvement with politics. (as revolting as it may be) so that their assistance work is not compromised - but the script soon discards these themes and returns to what interests him: the melodrama (in a certain scene, someone even asks: 'Are you willing to risk everything for love?').
After acting in this production, Angelina Jolie decided to adopt a Cambodian child and became a UN Goodwill Ambassador - in a clear indication that her experiences in the different locations used by the project affected her significantly. It is unfortunate, therefore, that the film itself is so futile, as its behind-the-scenes seems to have represented a strong experience for all involved.
But African landscapes, the title does not let us forget, are not enough. Until the long-awaited love scene, the protagonists will still pass through Cambodia and Chechnya, which will allow the director and his athletic actress (Jolie) to gradually enter the territory they dominate best, that of action films. Still, Campbell won't spare us his cheap emotional blackmail, demonstrating just how low it can get by placing, at some point in his interminable narrative, a grenade in the hands of a baby.