"Beirut" (R, 1:49) is a drama thriller directed by Brad Anderson ("The Call", "The Machinist") and written by Oscar nominee Tony Gilroy ("Rogue One: A Star Wars Story", the "Bourne" movies, "Michael Clayton"). The titular Lebanese capital is the place where the 1983 bombing of a Marine barracks killed 241 U.S. servicemembers deployed there as peacekeepers during the Lebanese Civil War. This movie takes place mainly during 1982, set in the broader context of Lebanon's multi-faceted political and religious conflicts and focused on a fictional but plausible story of intrigue, danger and violence.
Golden Globe winner Jon Hamm plays Mason Skiles, an American diplomat who suffered a very personal tragedy while living and working in Beirut in 1972, leading him to return to the U.S., become a specialist in conflict resolution (mainly local labor disputes) - and develop a serious drinking problem. Mason is contacted by an old acquaintance, on behalf of people who offer to pay him to come back to Beirut, ostensibly to give a lecture at the American University. Mason realizes that is just a cover story, but is unhappy with his current work environment and needs the money, so he reluctantly returns to Beirut.
Mason quickly finds himself in the company of State Department employees and C.I.A. operatives (played by Dean Norris, Shea Whigham and Larry Pine) who finally tell him the real reason he's back in Beirut. A co-worker of theirs, and an old friend of Mason's, by the name of Cal Riley (Mark Pellegrino), has been kidnapped by terrorists to trade him for someone else - and one of the terrorists insists that they will only deal with Mason in person. As Mason applies his considerable negotiating skill and understanding of the conflicts he's navigating, it remains unclear who's working with whom and to what ends, but a C.I.A. field officer (Oscar nominee Rosamund Pike) does her best to protect and help him.
"Beirut" is a smart, entertaining multi-faceted film. It works well as a personal drama, a political thriller and a spy story. The setting and the historical context give the plot significant gravitas. Gilroy's script is very intelligent - in terms of the dialog and its ability to avoid predictability and genre clichés. Anderson's direction is well-paced and keeps the story engaging. The stars do their usual excellent work and the supporting actors more than pull their weight. A great break from the mundane. "A-"
Golden Globe winner Jon Hamm plays Mason Skiles, an American diplomat who suffered a very personal tragedy while living and working in Beirut in 1972, leading him to return to the U.S., become a specialist in conflict resolution (mainly local labor disputes) - and develop a serious drinking problem. Mason is contacted by an old acquaintance, on behalf of people who offer to pay him to come back to Beirut, ostensibly to give a lecture at the American University. Mason realizes that is just a cover story, but is unhappy with his current work environment and needs the money, so he reluctantly returns to Beirut.
Mason quickly finds himself in the company of State Department employees and C.I.A. operatives (played by Dean Norris, Shea Whigham and Larry Pine) who finally tell him the real reason he's back in Beirut. A co-worker of theirs, and an old friend of Mason's, by the name of Cal Riley (Mark Pellegrino), has been kidnapped by terrorists to trade him for someone else - and one of the terrorists insists that they will only deal with Mason in person. As Mason applies his considerable negotiating skill and understanding of the conflicts he's navigating, it remains unclear who's working with whom and to what ends, but a C.I.A. field officer (Oscar nominee Rosamund Pike) does her best to protect and help him.
"Beirut" is a smart, entertaining multi-faceted film. It works well as a personal drama, a political thriller and a spy story. The setting and the historical context give the plot significant gravitas. Gilroy's script is very intelligent - in terms of the dialog and its ability to avoid predictability and genre clichés. Anderson's direction is well-paced and keeps the story engaging. The stars do their usual excellent work and the supporting actors more than pull their weight. A great break from the mundane. "A-"