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:

Jake Gyllenhaal, Reese Witherspoon, Alan Arkin

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
Yigal Naor	...	Abasi Fawal (as Igal Naor)
Hadar Ratzon	...	Safiya
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:

american | cia | interrogation | egyptian | detention | 

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Taglines:

What if someone you love...just disappeared?

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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:

Metropolitan Films [fr] New Line Cinema [us]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

19 October 2007 (USA)

Also Known As:

Détention secrète

Filming Locations:

Anaheim Convention Center - 800 W. Katella Avenue, Anaheim, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$27,500,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£583,345 (UK) (19 October 2007)

Gross:

£2,448,581 (UK) (9 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?

Goofs

In the beginning when Anwar is in Cape Town, South Africa, according to the shadows cast by the men in Anwar's party, it's about 1 pm. He makes a call to Isabella in Chicago, United States when he apologizes for not calling her earlier. Cape Town is 8 hours ahead of Chicago, it would have been pitch dark in Chicago at that time but Isabella is outside in the midday sun playing soccer with Jeremy.

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Quotes

Corrine Whitman: I need a jackal, not an analyst.

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Connections

Referenced in Bad Movie Beatdown: X-Men Origins Wolverine (2010)

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Soundtracks

"N'Dare"
Written and Performed by Alpha Yaya Diallo
Courtesy of Jericho Beach Music

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.