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Syriana (2005)

post #1 of 7
2/9/10 at 11:27am
Thread Starter 
Caught up with this thanks to Netflix Watch Instantly (in HD no less), and have to say I liked it more than I did when I saw it in the theater. Sure there are some sloppy parts (I'm still not quite sure what the deal is with Wright's drunk dad?) and it probably could've used some revision during the script stage to focus more on Clooney's character but I think it does a good job showing how fucked the entire situation is in the Middle East with everyone using everyone else.

Anyone read Baer's book? How much of it made it into the film? I'll have to pick up a copy from the local library.

What say you?
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post #2 of 7
2/9/10 at 1:25pm
Not read the book.

It's a frustrating movie, in that for me it never really works together as a whole. The performaces are good across the board, but it lacks a bit of narrative drive- the movie does feel meandering at times. I do like the film, but I felt it ended up less than the sum of it's parts.
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post #3 of 7
2/9/10 at 1:40pm
Thread Starter 
It's very episodic and I agree that it doesn't quite come together as a whole - but I think what Gaghan was trying to get across is that there is no "end" to this. It's a merry-go-round. Anyone that is any position to change things (or question things) would rather sell-out in some way or another and keep the status-quo.

Plus, this is just pure Clooney bad-assery:

Quote:
If anything happens to me or my family, an accident, an accusation, anything, then first your son will disappear, his body will never be found. Then your wife. Her body will never be found either. This is guaranteed. Then, whatever is the most dangerous thing you do in your life, it might be flying in a small plane, it might be walking to the bank, you will be killed. Do you understand what I'm saying? I want you to acknowledge that you do understand so that we're clear and there won't be any mistakes.
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post #4 of 7
2/9/10 at 8:45pm
I was with the movie until White Bread Matt Damon lectures Amr Waked's Sheik who probally has 9 Phd's (if this were in real life) about how the Middle East can magically create a new economy without relying on oil. It was the worst sort of "white man saves the poor dumb ignorant colored people" and even Clooney could save the movie after that
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post #5 of 7
2/9/10 at 10:23pm
Read the book a few years back, and if I remember correctly, they're not too similar outside of the themes that Gaghan transferred from the book to the film. Prolly some Baer operational similarities as far as Clooney's character is concerned, but I remember watching it and thinking that the book and movie didn't share too much. I thought that Gaghan should've focused in on one story instead of trying to take this mish mash and make it work. Clooney was badass and his story was good, but I wouldn't have minded Damon or Wright's story being fleshed out more for one straightforward tale.
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post #6 of 7
2/10/10 at 10:18am
It was interesting, and all the performances were good, but it didn't have the strong emotional connection that TRAFFIC had. And Gaghan was clearly aiming for something like that.
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post #7 of 7
2/10/10 at 10:43am
Yeah, the movie severely lacks the emotional connection, and the problem is that it doesn't really shine a new light on the oil/ middle
eastern issue either, the film maybe tries to be too catch all.
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