"Syriana"
Starring:George Clooney, Matt Damon. Jeffrey Wright, Chris Cooper, Amanda Peet, Christopher Plummer, Alexander Siddig
4 stars out of 4
"Syriana" is an extremely complicated think piece asking dozens of questions. Keeping track of characters, places, and reasons I imagine would be similar to solving a cinema rubix cube. The film is more than a great movie, and one of this year's best, it breathes life into your imagination. I can't ever remember the last time I frequently checked my cell phone to see what time it was during the movie, not because I wanted it to be over, but wishing it would never end. That's what kind of movie this is, don't pay attention to hard or you will lose your mind.
An extraordinary ensemble cast molds "Syriana" into serious Oscar consideration. Very few films I appreciate with heavy dialogue, this is certainly one of them. It's the kind of movie where you can't describe the cast as characters, but as key players. Oil is the epicenter of all the 4 intersecting story lines. We are asked, along with everyone in the film, what is the price of oil? Scheming, lying, cheating, murder, stealing..... are all bold ways of getting to the top of the food chain of the fight for oil and power.
George Clooney is fantastic as Bob Barnes, a CIA veteran who we first meet in Tehran, Iran. He shares the spotlight with every other character, but we see him as the central character. Barnes throughout the film inches closer and closer, to figuring out his own purpose, and the ways of his superiors at the CIA. He does all the dirty work, bringing down foriegn threats, or messing up a missle deal that forms another storyline involving a young teenage Pakistani.
Matt Damon is an energy analyst out of Geneva, married to Amanda Peet, has two kids, and is happy with life. Damon's Bryan Woodword along with family face an un-imaginable tragedy early on, but Woodword finds redemption and hope when he shuns his family and advises a idealistic Gulf Prince. This Gulf Prince, played by Alexander Siddig is absolutely fascinating, we are not sure what his plans are, but we fear him, he has an immediate stare of determination towards any goal, and Damon is his main-man. Woodword at one point is actually in the middle of the desert with Prince Nasir delivering great dialogue about what the business world think's about Nasir. Damon is an honest character, he is another character we can't really figure out, his motives are cloudy to the audience, we can't figure out if we like him or not.
The slimy players arise in the subplot mainily involving Jeffrey Wright, an up and coming corporate lawyer, Wright is caught up in an investigation of the merger of two oil companies. Connex and Killen oil, Chris Cooper represents Connex oil, and will stop at nothing to see the merger go as planned. Wright plays Bennett Holliday, his storyline involves his dad showing up at his door step at random times, this small sub-plot isn't needed. Bennett is the kind of character that can bring balance to his firm and others if he does his job right.
"Syriana" is endlessly intriguing, and always interesting. Stephen Gaghan is at the helm here, he also wrote "Traffic", if that was found complicated and dense, you will never find your footing in this one. The thing is, there is so much information to digest, that I only imagine a second viewing being better than the first viewing. The funny thing is, with a second viewing I could probably add another 250-400 words to this review.
At a time in Hollywood, when we are not exposed to films like this often, it is grealy appreciated when an effort by Gaghan and his cast can produce a winning struggle like this. I'm anxious to see what this does down the road, come Oscar time. Many of the actors will be discussed as supporting actor and actress, I only wish that this gets best Picture, and Director nods. Two or three downfalls to mention.... Would have loved 25-30 more minutes added to the film, replace the Pakistani teenager storyline with more weight, or just get rid of it, scrath Bennett's alcoholic father part.
If "Traffic" can get the nominations that it garnered, "Syriana" CERTAINLY can, especially in a fairly weak year of film, in my opinion.... "Syriana" doesnt surpass my favorite film of the year "Crash", but it should end up in my top 3 of the year when it's all said and done....
