I could definitely see this being a film that just doesn't jive well with some people, but for me it worked on just about every single level. A fascinating study of a true-life scenario, with some haunting sequences of violence mixed in with an intriguing character study into two guys stuck in the same situation; one wild and violent, the other just trying to survive. I generally get worn out in films like this and start to zone off around the halfway point, but this is one that kept me fully engaged and honestly felt like it whizzed by. I was surprised when the end sequence came, despite the final act being a little long-winded I could have easily gone for another half hour. It's this intriguing character study for the large majority, then the final act just throws it into full gear and kept a lump in my throat with the high-intensity.
The whole thing rests on the shoulders (two pairs) of Dominic Cooper and I'm rarely as surprised with a performance the way I was with his. He hasn't been given much opportunity to shine in his career so far, but in these two roles he gets an entire film and he takes full advantage of it. The characters are written a little thin, but that doesn't stop him for a second from delivering one of the finest performances of the year so far. He adds these layers to the characters that aren't necessarily on the paper, and really soars. As Latif Yahia, he is calm and reserved, stuck in a situation that he knows he can't escape and just trying to get by. In this character he does everything internally, holding in all of the rage and horror he experiences because he knows he'll be killed if he lets it out. It's a fine display of that "acting with your eyes" kind of style I love. Then as Uday Hussein he completely switches gears, exploding off the screen like a bat out of hell, the kind of animal portrayal you could see someone like Gary Oldman deliver. He turns Uday into one of the most terrifying screen villains I've encountered. You truly fear this monster.
On their own, each portrayal is a remarkable show, but when you step back and look at the collective work Cooper gives, it's absolutely astonishing. After about half an hour I completely forgot the same guy was playing these two people. That's how far into these characters he gets, there is never a second where I recognize the same actor in both character because he hits them so differently. The way he walks, the way he talks, the way he sits are so distinctly different and unique to each character. It's an achievement when an actor can make one character feel so authentic and lived-in, but when he can do it with two in the same movie, well that's something truly special.
The whole thing rests on the shoulders (two pairs) of Dominic Cooper and I'm rarely as surprised with a performance the way I was with his. He hasn't been given much opportunity to shine in his career so far, but in these two roles he gets an entire film and he takes full advantage of it. The characters are written a little thin, but that doesn't stop him for a second from delivering one of the finest performances of the year so far. He adds these layers to the characters that aren't necessarily on the paper, and really soars. As Latif Yahia, he is calm and reserved, stuck in a situation that he knows he can't escape and just trying to get by. In this character he does everything internally, holding in all of the rage and horror he experiences because he knows he'll be killed if he lets it out. It's a fine display of that "acting with your eyes" kind of style I love. Then as Uday Hussein he completely switches gears, exploding off the screen like a bat out of hell, the kind of animal portrayal you could see someone like Gary Oldman deliver. He turns Uday into one of the most terrifying screen villains I've encountered. You truly fear this monster.
On their own, each portrayal is a remarkable show, but when you step back and look at the collective work Cooper gives, it's absolutely astonishing. After about half an hour I completely forgot the same guy was playing these two people. That's how far into these characters he gets, there is never a second where I recognize the same actor in both character because he hits them so differently. The way he walks, the way he talks, the way he sits are so distinctly different and unique to each character. It's an achievement when an actor can make one character feel so authentic and lived-in, but when he can do it with two in the same movie, well that's something truly special.