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Overview

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Syriana, 2005

Starring: George Clooney, Amanda Peet

Directed by: Stephen Gaghan

Written by: Stephen Gaghan

Language: English, Urdu, Arabic, Persian, French, Mandarin

Country: USA

Runtime: 126 min

MPAA Rating: R

Rating:7.0

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Profile of Syriana

The mood of Syriana is disturbing, contemplative, and captivating. The plot centers around a political conspiracy, political corruption, and political unrest. It is a drama and thriller movie. Stylistically, Syriana involves multiple stories. In approach, it is serious and realistic. The setting is Switzerland, the Middle East, and the USA. Syriana happens in contemporary times. It is based on a book. The movie is known for being critically acclaimed and an Oscar winner. Note that Syriana includes profanity and violent content.

Summary of Syriana

Stephen Gaghan, who won an Oscar for best screenplay for TRAFFIC, makes his directorial debut with SYRIANA, an espionage thriller set in the Middle East. George Clooney stars as Bob Barnes, a longtime CIA agent preparing to slow down his life and spend more time with his teenage son (Max Minghella). But his last secret mission, getting rid of Prince Nasir (Alexander Siddig), turns out to be more complicated than he imagined, placing him in the middle of a dangerous conspiracy involving government corruption, oil, and international terrorism. Matt Damon, who starred with Clooney in OCEAN'S ELEVEN and OCEAN'S TWELVE (and made a cameo in Clooney's CONFESSIONS OF A DANGEROUS MIND, which was also about spies and conspiracies), plays Bryan Woodman, an energy executive whose ethics become vulnerable after the horrific loss of one of his sons. Meanwhile, in Washington, D.C., lawyers Bennett Holiday (Jeffrey Wright) and Dean Whiting (Christopher Plummer) also must choose between the government's special interests and what's best for the world (as well as their own special interests). Gaghan gives SYRIANA a documentary-like feel, using handheld cameras and shooting on location, adding to the believability of the complex plot. To heighten the realism, Clooney learned to speak Arabic and even put on 30 pounds for the role. A fast-paced, heart-pounding, relentless film, SYRIANA was inspired by the true story of former CIA agent Robert Baer, told in his book SEE NO EVIL: THE TRUE STORY OF A GROUND SOLDIER IN THE CIA'S WAR ON TERRORISM.

Details

Language:	English, Urdu, Arabic, Persian, French, Mandarin
Country:	USA
Release date:	23 November 2005
Runtime:	126 min
Awards:	Academy Awards

Awards

George Clooney for Best Supporting Actor at the 2005 Academy Awards

Cast and Crew See all

George Clooney

as Bob Barnes

Amanda Peet

as Julie Woodman

Photos See all

Chris Cooper in Syriana (2005)

Alexander Siddig in Syriana (2005)

Chris Cooper in Syriana (2005)

Clips See all

Syriana: Theatrical

Syriana: Official Trailer

Syriana: You're Sydney's New Boy

Syriana: Why Am I Being Investigated?

Critics Reviews See all

Rolling Stone

Takes off with the lightning speed of a thriller, the gonzo force of frontline journalism and the emotional wallop of a drama that puts a human face on shocking statistics. Full Review

|
by: Peter Travers

Washington Post

What's so powerful about the film is the rich stories it tells and how it leads them like so many human tributaries to one black, bubbling source. Full Review

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by: Desson Thomson

Users Reviews See all

All time favorite

19.July.2011
|
by: MrWizard6600
MrWizard6600 rated this movie10/10Must See

All time favorite

One of my all-time favorite movies if for no other reason than that it absolutely demands that you watch it twice. Those giving it poor reviews didn't have the patience to do that, and while that's understandable, it’s also disappointing in that their knee-jerk reaction is to give it a 0/10. You will have to watch this movie twice, and you will rattle your brain trying to chain plot threads together, but the payoff will make you sympathetic toward the people who become terrorists. This is probably the thickest piece of fiction you'll ever see, it starts with five seemingly unrelated plot-threads barely spending 5 minutes explaining the back story to each before jumbling them together into what is a messy and complex yet brilliant crescendo. This is the first and only story I've ever seen that actually gives the viewer a realistic taste of the frustration and political complexity surrounding impoverished natural-resource-exporting countries. To tie the political problems of the plutocratic fictional country Syriana (clearly modeled after Saudi-Ariabia) to the demands of the west and the needs of the everyday citizen, the movie uses a Saudi-Arabian Syrianian Prince, a CIA agent (the polar opposite of Bond or Bourne), two young poor brothers, an investment advisor, and a lawyer, all of whom are non-linear characters, making the amount of time to reveal the motive of each far to brief. Thus the plot comes across as convoluted, but on the second watch-through, you’ve had enough time to figure out the angles of each, and thus the actual dialog spoken becomes much easier to understand, and the revelation at the end is a horrifying statement about modern global politics that everyone should have. I love this movie, but it’s not for the mass market. But if you’re looking for the ultimate in enigmatic plot, this is it, and once figured out, it offers a horrifying glimpse into the world of global geopolitical economics.

19.July.2011
|
by: MrWizard6600

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Boring. Slow. Convoluted. Some good actors and great locations wasted. Some books, while they may be great books, just should NOT be made into movies. Read and rate it

21.September.2010
|
by: Bob
Bob rated this movie0/10

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