This much-anticipated movie starring Russell Crowe and Leonardo DiCaprio opens in New York on Friday. The movie follows DiCaprio’s character as he tracks down a terrorist across the Middle East.
Russell Crowe’s character is like a dictator, a sadistic man with the power of delegation who never strays far from his tranquil and sheltered life.
The conflict between these two men–their struggle to balance personal differences while working to achieve their singular objective–threatens to undermine their entire operation, and they are suddenly cast as fierce opponents, working for the same government but not the same end results.
The movie’s objective, obviously, is to generate a buzz and earn big numbers. But the Iraq War and the war on terror has been anathema to American audiences thus far. It will be interesting to see whether DiCpario and Crowe’s star power, coupled with direction from Ridley Scott, can drive this ambitious movie into the hearts and minds of wary and cynical audiences.
* A Box Office Gamble: The NYTimes
* Everything you need to know: IMDb
* Body of Lies, the Novel: Book Search
* The Novel’s Author: David Ignatius
* The Movie’s Director: Ridley Scott
* The Screenplay Writer: William Monahan
