Rendition (2007)

A CIA analyst questions his assignment after witnessing an unorthodox interrogation at a secret detention facility outside the US.

Director:

Gavin Hood

Writer:

Kelley Sane

Stars:

Reese Witherspoon, Jake Gyllenhaal, Peter Sarsgaard

1 win & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jake Gyllenhaal	...	Douglas Freeman
Reese Witherspoon	...	Isabella Fields El-Ibrahimi
Meryl Streep	...	Corrine Whitman
Alan Arkin	...	Senator Hawkins
Peter Sarsgaard	...	Alan Smith
Omar Metwally	...	Anwar El-Ibrahimi
Igal Naor	...	Abasi Fawal
Hadar Ratzon Rotem	...	Safiya (as Hadar Ratzon)
J.K. Simmons	...	Lee Mayer
Simon Abkarian	...	Said Abdel Aziz
Moa Khouas	...	Khalid El-Emin
Zineb Oukach	...	Fatima Fawal
Aramis Knight	...	Jeremy El-Ibrahimi
Rosie Malek-Yonan	...	Nuru El-Ibrahimi
Laila Mrabti	...	Lina Fawal

Storyline

After a terrorist bombing kills an American envoy in a foreign country, an investigation leads to an Egyptian who has been living in the United States for years and who is married to an American. He is apprehended when he's on his way home. The U.S. sends him to the country where the incident occurs for interrogation which includes torture. An American CIA operative observes the interrogation and is at odds whether to keep it going or to stop it. In the meantime, the man's wife raises hell to find him despite being pregnant but the person behind this refuses to help or give her any information.

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Plot Keywords:

bare chested male bondage | american | interrogation | cia | detention | 

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Taglines:

Some people know to Much

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Genres:

Drama | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for torture/violence and language

Details

Official Sites:

Warner Bros. [Germany]

Country:

USA

Language:

English Arabic

Release Date:

19 October 2007 (USA)

Also Known As:

Détention secrète

Filming Locations:

Morocco

Box Office

Budget:

$27,500,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£583,345 (UK) (19 October 2007)

Gross:

$9,664,316 (USA) (2 November 2007)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Anonymous Content, Level 1 Entertainment, MID Foundation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

122 min

Sound Mix:

DTS SDDS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film cast includes four Oscar winners: Reese Witherspoon, Meryl Streep, Alan Arkin and J.K. Simmons; and one Oscar nominee: Jake Gyllenhaal.

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Goofs

When Khalid and Fatima are preparing for a protest, an organizer gives instructions via a PA system. Shortly into the speech, he holds the microphone near his waist, yet the timbre and volume of the sound are the same as when speaking into it.

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Quotes

Douglas Freeman: This is my first torture.

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Connections

Referenced in The O'Reilly Factor: Episode dated 2 April 2008 (2008)

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Soundtracks

Akli Fiha
Written by Belgot Mohammed Tarik
Performed by Cheb Tarik
Courtesy of La Fa Mi Productions
By Arrangement with The Orchard

User Reviews

Perhaps the most important film of the year

I think this was the most outstanding edge-of-your-seat thriller that I have seen in a long time. The research for the film was thorough, the writer Kelly Sane has left no loose ends. The cast was seasoned (fantastic performances all round). Omar Metwally was outstanding.

The cinematography is poetic, music enchanting and the overall effect highly satisfying.

Rendition goes into territory that even the media fears to tread. It is really a wakeup call for those involved with espionage and the legal web that is the "War on Terror".

A woman walked out of the theater and asked me "does this really happen"? That in itself speaks of Gavin Hood's masterful achievement.