Body of Lies (2008)

SERIOUSLY. This is what the crap Hollywood still puts out?

Better Late Then Never

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

This movie was so-so. It had it's moments, but wasn't the greatest.

Body of Lies (2008): Dir: Ridley Scott / Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Russell Crowe, Mark Strong, Golshifteh Farahani, Oscar Isaac: Excellent spy action thriller about deceit. Leonardo DiCaprio plays an undercover CIA agent who feels torn in two directions as instructions from his boss, played by Russell Crowe nearly result in his death. It is a hunt for terrorist activity in Iraq and director Ridley Scott supplies the difference between an agent on the field and an agent observing. Scott is a skilled filmmaker who has made such classic fare as Blade Runner and Alien. Like American Gangster the previous year he proves that he is just as effective in action as he is in science fiction. Strong performances from DiCaprio as a frustrated agent who feels surrounded by deceit and unable to gain a handle on his circumstance. Crowe is great in this role because he believes that he is doing the right thing but he is in constant debate with DiCaprio who is on the field. Crowe is also an agent who is oblivious balancing family time with work. Fine supporting work by Mark Strong who steals every scene he is in as another agent. Golshifteh Farahani plays a nurse whom DiCaprio has relations with but she may become a bargaining chip. Oscar Isaac plays DiCaprio's CIA associate on the field in search of a safe house. Action filled demonstration of the duties on and off site for the CIA. Score: 10 / 10

Body Of Lies is certainly a film about the world since that event. It's based on a 2007 novel by Washington Post columnist David Ignatius, who has reported extensively on the Middle East. It's not acknowledged but I suspect both book and movie are also influenced by the recent rash of spy-and-tell books by former CIA agents. The best known of these is by Robert Baer, who left the agency in 1997 after 20 years. Baer was considered one of the best field officers in the Middle East. One of his complaints about the CIA was that it neglected real spy work on the ground in favor of electronic intelligence. It's more of a respectable second-rank thriller - intelligent but muddled, action-packed but thoughtful.

This movie is so underrated across the board that even I am penning a down a review for it 7 years after I actually watched it. Back then , the decision to buy the tickets was more due to the cast and production credentials than anything else. Also (fortunately ) unlike these days my dependence upon the internet was rather limited preventing me to form opinions about movies which hadn't hit the screens. How I miss those days!Anyhow, moving on from nostalgia to this movie. With super sharp direction, a splendidly candid story, a smart screenplay , Body of Lies was undoubtedly one of the better geo-political espionage movies to have hit the screens in a long time. Cutting loose from the browbeaten tales of the Cold War, the movie offers a chillingly fresh view of the troubled Gulf politics. The scenes and sequences are extremely well shot , and build up a very attentive volume of cinematic tension on screen-an absolute fundamental for any movie in the genre. There is a dominant yet subtle aroma of suspense and anticipation something that was deliberately effaced by the 007 franchise of the 70's and 90's with License to Kill(1989) being a pleasant exception.The plot is believable and the editor avoids narcissistic over indulgence . The entire cast has done a commendable job. Leonardo , accordingly to me, carries on his good work from The Departed (2006) as a wily, calculative yet conscience stricken agent looking to do the job for the flag. Russell Crowe plays out a character well suited to his on screen persona . But it is Mark Strong who injects the extra zing into the movie. His casting is perfect in the role of a local intelligence baron. The movie is a great suspense thriller with good action scenes and credible storytelling . It is thoroughly underrated and I cannot assign any reason for this . Unfortunately this means that it will not be telecast often on television unlike The World is Not Enough. My advice would be to watch it at least once .

Body of lies is nice and dramatic depiction of intra agency politics and situation during a war with terrorists with a sprinkle of love story. The movie is a about a CIA spy who is placed in Jordan in order to get in-tel about the upcoming bombing in Europe by Al-Saleem a terrorist Al-Qaeda. DiCaprio is assisted by Russell Crow (his senior) and Mark Strong (local businessman) but is most of the time mislead by his own organization resulting obstructions in his operations, until the master plan is constructed and is ready executed, but it's a master plan not a perfect plan, now the story unfolds in a really thrilling way which is difficult to predict. The beginning of the movie was slow and viewer tends to get bored and if you are a impatient person you would probably give up the movie. Honestly speaking only my liking for DiCaprio made me stick to the screen for the first 50 minutes. Though a slow beginning was necessary to create a plot still it could have been a bit quicker. After the first hour the story becomes interesting and a bit of suspense arises. Unlike the first part the second part features more action less drama, introduction of the love story and some more action. Acting wise all the cast did well, DiCaprio stood up to his reputation but I was particularly impressed by Mark Strong who intensified the character to its requirement. The story was well connected and had no fault except the speed thing. The presentation was satisfying and all the blasts and violent scenes were convincing. The only major thing except the speed thing it lacked was thrill, I expected a lot more suspense but it served me a pinch of it. So, I would say that you have to be patient enough to watch this movie and if you enjoy drama then you must see it. I wouldn't consider my time wasted on this movie.