Rendition

By Linda Winsh-Bolard


The title refers to the US policy of “extraordinary rendition”, enacted by Clinton administration, which allows terrorism suspects to be captured and moved to other countries to be tortured with no legal recourse

Somewhere in Africa, following a suicide attack in which a CIA officer dies, Anwar El-Ibrahimi (Omar Metwally), an Egypt born chemical engineer returning to his wife in Chicago from Cape Town,Africa becomes such suspect, is abducted by CIA operatives and tortured by local “friendly” police.

His wife Isabella (Reese Witherspoon) is not the generation of naïve soccer wives, once she is certain that her husband was on board of a plane coming home but did not deplane, she gathers what evidence she has and turns for help to her old friend ,now a Senators’ aide Alan Smith (Peter Sarsgaard).

Meanwhile, lacking any better personnel on the spot, the CIA “promotes” Douglas Freeman (Jake Gyllenhaal) to be the go between, with a fancier title, the investigating officer Abasi Fawal and the CIA liaison Corrinne Whitman (Meryl Streep).

And Abasi’s daughter, Fatima, is in love and secretly dating Khalid, who refuses to run away with her even though she tells him that her Father is forcing her to marry a man he had chosen for her. It is hard for Fatima to understand why would Khalid be so unconcerned.

It does not take long for Freeman to suspect that torture is not just useless in general but pointless in this particular case because Anwar has no information to give, even if neither Whitman nor Abasi seem to care. It takes equally short time for Anwar to understand that all his achievements and security were undone by the accidental place of his birth.

Isabella takes longer to understand that even though Smith had known Anwar, he might be afraid to proceed with helping him as well as to be powerless to go against single minded “security policy” that demands sacrifices from others to keep few safe.

Nobody is even considering that a dead American might been a chance victim of local violence.

Fatima will eventually, by accident, discover what really happened that day, but Fatima is female and has no connections outside her family.

Freeman never will, but he will risk all to help one man, not because this man is special to him, but this is the man he can save.

It is an intelligent presentation of what is done in our name every day, and what is covered by empty slogans coined by presidential speech writers (Streep flawlessly delivers the film version of these, along with warning to the good senator of a political suicide should he speak up).

As our new attorney general seems to have no objections to water boarding, we should all watch the astounding practice on screen, portrayed by tortured Metwally, who naked, shocked and hopeless delivers visuals to what does it meant to be a victim of torture.

His opponent is pragmatically indifferent, coldly played police officer in a country used to “harsh” methods, well portrayed by Igal Naor.

Jake Gylenhall keeps his dry character as dry as accountants are supposed to be, he broods and drinks off the job, he discusses philosophy with Abasi , and at the end becomes the breaking point.

The star crossed lovers with a twist, Khalid and Fatima, are touching and loving, and somehow their part in the story, however well acted out, is the most expected one.

The film is a sad reflection on what has happened to us, how it influences others, and how much did we lose to political doctrine while claiming we shall break all others political dogmas to make a better world for all.

Best seen before The Valley of Elah.



A New Line Cinema release presented in association with Level 1 Entertainment of an Anonymous Content production. Produced by Steve Golin, Marcus Viscidi. Executive producers, Toby Emmerich, Keith Goldberg, David Kanter, Keith Redman, Michael Sugar, Edward Milstein, Bill Todman Jr., Paul Schwake. Co-producer, Mark Martin. Directed by Gavin Hood. Screenplay, Kelley Sane.

Douglas Freeman - Jake Gyllenhaal
Isabella El-Ibrahimi - Reese Witherspoon
Senator Hawkins - Alan Arkin
Alan Smith - Peter Sarsgaard
Anwar El-Ibrahimi - Omar Metwally
Abasi Fawal - Igal Naor
Khalid - Moa Khouas
Fatima - Zineb Oukach
Corrinne Whitman - Meryl Streep