Rendition (2007)

Director:

Gavin Hood

Writer (WGA):

Kelley Sane (written by)

Release Date:

19 October 2007 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

What if someone you love...just disappeared?

Plot:

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

Plot Keywords:

Interrogation | CIA | Egyptian | Terrorist | Terrorism

Awards:

1 win & 2 nominations

Cast

Omar Metwally	...	Anwar El-Ibrahimi
Reese Witherspoon	...	Isabella Fields El-Ibrahimi
Aramis Knight	...	Jeremy El-Ibrahimi
Rosie Malek-Yonan	...	Nuru El-Ibrahimi
Jake Gyllenhaal	...	Douglas Freeman
Hadar Ratzon	...	Safiya
Moa Khouas	...	Khalid El-Emin
Zineb Oukach	...	Fatima Fawal
Yigal Naor	...	Abasi Fawal (as Igal Naor)
Laila Mrabti	...	Lina Fawal
David Fabrizio	...	William Dixon
Mounir Margoum	...	Rani
Driss Roukhe	...	Bahi
J.K. Simmons	...	Lee Mayer
Meryl Streep	...	Corrine Whitman

MPAA:

Rated R for torture/violence and language.

Runtime:

122 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | SDDS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Ireland:15A | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14A (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Ontario) | UK:15 | Singapore:M18 | Australia:MA | Denmark:15 | USA:R (certificate #43607) | Philippines:PG-13 | Argentina:16 | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Germany:16 | Malaysia:18PL | Hong Kong:IIB | Taiwan:R-12 | Norway:15 | France:Unrated | Portugal:M/16 | Sweden:15 | Finland:K-15 | South Korea:15 | Netherlands:16 | New Zealand:R16 | Greece:K-17

Filming Locations:

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

Company:

Anonymous Content

Goofs:

Factual errors: During the scene where Abasi Fawal is watching the footage of the bombing on Al Jazerra, the news crawl in Arabic on the bottom of the TV is moving left-to-right (as it does when there is a news crawl in English). However, the crawl should move right-to-left, since Arabic is read right to left.

Quotes:

Corrine Whitman: I'm very sorry for your distress, I wish I could help you with your problem but I simply cannot.
Isabella Fields El-Ibrahimi: My problem? My problem?
Senator Hawkins: [overlapping] Young lady, if you just leave your name and information ...
Isabella Fields El-Ibrahimi: You have my name. You have my home address, you have my phone number, you have everything! You have my husband!
[they look at each other and begin to leave]
Isabella Fields El-Ibrahimi: Please don't walk away from me! Just tell me where he is!
Guard: [restraining her] Ma'am.
Isabella Fields El-Ibrahimi: JUST TELL ME HE'S OKAY!

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Getaway: (#17.2)" (2008)

Soundtrack:

Camel Jam

A Solid Movie with a Powerful Ending

Most of this political thriller presented as a mostly run of the mill movie with a somewhat better development of many of the major characters, that was much appreciated, until the BIG twist and powerful climax that recalled twists experienced in "Silence of the Lambs," or "The Sixth Sense." Reese Witherspoon as the distraught wife of the missing Egyptian husband and Yigal Naor as the strong-armed interrogator offer strong performances. Jake Gyllenhaal unfortunately is handed a more two-dimensional character and has to struggled with a stereotypical presentation of the emotionally torn CIA analyst that has been presented many times before in other movies. Early on there is the nice scene with an explosion that resembles a scene at the end of "Saving Private Ryan," the silent scene that was used so effectively in reflecting one consequence of violence. The script also provides a little more glimpse into the mind-set of the "enemy" but still doesn't allow the audience really much understanding, again permitting the audience to wallow in stereotypical characterization. The cinematography and photography also is somewhat of a letdown because unlike "Jarhead," or "Blackhawk Down," the crisp, raw visceral presentation is missing not allowing the audience to really be there in the movie, there is some distance that keeps the audience from realizing the intensity of the emotions occurring on the screen. However, overall, the movie redeems itself by the end, offering the audience a measured look into the complexity of the United States' use of rendition and the possible complications and consequences that may occur through its use. Eight out of Ten Stars.