Beirut

So far this is the most gripping film of the 2018 NZIFF. A spy noir. Unusually for an American spy movie, Beirut is more John le Carré than Jason Bourne. This is the movie where you don't want to miss a line of dialogue. Working out everyone's motives and relationships is important.

Beirut sets the scene in 1972 at a party thrown by American diplomat Mason Skiles at his mansion in the hills above Beirut. The party is gatecrashed at the front door by the CIA and Mossad and at the back door by gunmen and his wife is killed. Jumping forwards to 1982 and Skiles has left the diplomatic service and is working as a negotiator in a labour dispute and is reputed to be an alcoholic. But an American has been kidnapped in Beirut and Mason is asked to come out of retirement and negotiate with the kidnappers. Mason arrives in a very different Beirut, the Lebanese Civil War occurred while he was away and everyone thinks that Israel is about to invade. Mason not only has to work out what the kidnappers want and what he needs to do to get the kidnapped man released but also deal with factions at the U.S. Embassy who have their own priorities, which include encouraging the Israelis to invade.

This is a movie that may reward a second viewing as I am not sure I picked up on all the minor plot lines, particularly for characters who suddenly reappear after being absent for much of the film. There are no flashy stunts, our hero knows what to say to achieve something rather than how to leap between tall buildings.

The has-been that everyone has written off but gets to make a comeback is a staple lead character in Hollywood movies. It is a way of getting sympathy with the hero and separating them from the other characters in the story.

That said this film is not without faults. There are at least 9 significant characters, some of whom don't get much screen time. So most of the characters are pretty thin, but it is their motives that are important rather than their personality. All but 2 of these people work for governments (or the P.L.O.), so their personal stories take back seat while they do their jobs. For a film set in Beirut there are no significant Lebanese characters and in typical Hollywood-fashion Arabs are portrayed as violent, uncivilised characters always out for revenge and to be killed with impunity. While the Israelis are not the good guys in this film at least they get some minor parts, and there is disillusionment with the American government.

Beirut was filmed in Tangier, Morocco. Which apparently has a significant number of half-demolished buildings.

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Ian's rating 4.5/5 Anne's rating 3.5/5