*** Stars
Compared to almost all the names currently in the top ten at the box office, Body of Lies is easily the superior film. It's directed with expected maturity and grit by Ridley Scott, has a top-notch performance from my man Leonardo Dicaprio, includes a minor yet solid supporting role by Russell Crowe, and it explores a very important theme about today's world. But, in the end, Body of Lies is a little disappointing from a commercial standpoint for two reasons. 1.) It’s not the film that could have turned around the Box-office poison surrounding the Iraq War and 2.) It lost to
Dicaprio plays Roger Ferris, a covert CIA operative working throughout the middle-east searching for freelance terrorists who have been bombing civilian targets. After surviving several close calls through car-bombings and on-foot chases, Ferris discovers information on an Islamic terrorist leader named Al-Saleem (Alon Aboutboul). With the help from his boss Ed Hoffman (Crowe), who somehow coordinates these missions during his routine errands (breakfast, dropping kids off at school, etc.), Ferris goes undercover to find the truth behind what this chaos is all about.
Body of Lies is a difficult process to render. Maybe because it feels completely untouched with reality. Maybe it relies too much on Dicaprio's and Crowe's performances. Then again, maybe the whole point is that there are no answers to its incoherency.
The character of Roger Ferris seems like a really interesting person to profile. This man is so good at what he does that he sometimes forgets to look at things objectively. However, there are several subplots about Ferris's life that are completely out of focus with the film’s narrative. We hear that he is getting divorce through two or three lines of dialogue. Then he falls for a middle-eastern doctor who treats him for rabbi bites. And then, without crucial development in their relationship, Roger decides to sacrifice everything for her safety. The film starts with CIA connections in the middle-east, then trails off into that land’s uncharted territory, and then it ends with a character study about one man figuring out if what he is doing is truly and morally right.
It is hectic yes, but inside this chaotic story is a smart and exciting film that sometimes hits brilliance. I want to talk a little bit more about Dicaprio. Here is an experienced, mature, and still young actor who is giving his all in every film he touches. He is one of the finest actors working today who deserves to be challenged in films like this, and in this case involving the Iraq War. It was unlikely that Body of Lies was going to be a box-office hit because of its nature, but I think that films like these will be very respected in the years to come. Let's just hope that's soon because I am seriously getting sick and tired of talking dogs that are ruling the movie world.
No comments:
Post a Comment