Rendition

Topical thriller needs a revision

By Matt Pais

Critic's Rating:

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Isabella El-Ibrahimi (Reese Witherspoon) tries to determine why her Egyptian-born husband Anwar (Omar Metwally) never returned from a trip to Africa. Meanwhile, CIA analyst Douglas Freeman (Jake Gyllenhaal) helps interrogate Anwar in a secret location outside the U.S. Why? A CIA exec (Meryl Streep) believes Anwar has connections to a group responsible for the bombing in North Africa that killed Douglas' colleague. On top of that is the forbidden romance between the Egyptian daughter of Anwar's prime interrogator and a member of a terrorist organization. Got it?

Big questions: Can director Gavin Hood capitalize on his potential after directing the Oscar-winning "Tsotsi"? Or will people only look at "Rendition" as the movie that reportedly created sparks between Witherspoon and Gyllenhaal?

Skip it: Split into pieces that never coalesce into a rewarding whole, "Rendition" moves too slowly through phone calls and meetings that ruin any chances of ever quickening your pulse. The A-list cast has little effect when the characters are all vague concepts of real people--grieving wife, cold government-type, etc.--particularly the terrorists, whose protest is never explained any more clearly than the alleged evidence that the government has against Anwar.

Catch it: To see Isabella calm her son's worries that you stop dreaming when you get married. Actually, the reality is that you stop sleeping once you have children! Just a guess.

Bottom line: A movie about secret government procedures can probably do without a subplot about a terrorist in love. What it needs instead is a shot of adrenaline and a clear perspective on whether or not controversial measures are justified by their effect on national security.

Bonus: Just a reminder that it always helps to be forthcoming with your boss. When Corrinne Whitman (Streep) questions his experience level, Freeman confesses, "This is my first torture."