Beirut (2018)

“You’re not hallucinating. It’s me Mason.” – Mason Skiles

Number of Times Seen – 1 (13 Dec 2018)

Brief Synopsis – A government worker who formally was stationed in the Middle East is sent back to help negotiate a deal in order to release a US government official being held hostage by terrorists.

My Take on it – This is a film that I heard a lot about when it came out earlier this ear, yet never had the chance to see what it was all about.

Despite the fact that this story takes place decades ago, it still feels as if the idea was ripped from the headlines and gives us a very interesting political thriller.

The region depicted here is known for being extremely volatile (even today) and they made it look so familiar.

The cast is great with Jon Hamm in the lead and his convincing performance helps the story flow even better.

The ability to show how Government officials are able to easily navigate the various dangers along the way.

This adds to the suspense and makes the story feel even more poignant since it is so relevant to the world we all currently live in.

I was hoping that Rosamund Pike would do something with the role she was given here, but she seems more like stereotypical character that someone developed in order to add a female characters and one who is much more unique.

Bottom Line – Interesting political thriller that feels ripped from the headlines despite it taking place decades ago. Hamm is great in the lead and helps keep the story flowing due to his convincing performance. The volatile region is all too familiar looking and the ability of these characters to find a way to navigate through the dangers along the way helps make this story even more poignant and relevant to today’s world. Recommended!

MovieRob’s Favorite Trivia – In an unsettling irony, the movie’s story about terrorist violence almost got derailed by local extremists. Across the street from the film’s production offices, authorities discovered an ISIS cell. There, Islamic terrorists had reportedly built a bomb, and were planning to blow up a nearby McDonald’s on the first day of Ramadan. “We saw these ISIS guys getting captured right in front of our offices,” producer Mark Weber recalled. “The security people said – ‘We got them. Don’t worry about it’.” (From IMDB)

Rating – Globe Worthy (7/10)

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