Opération Beyrouth

Tony Gilroy's thriller "Beirut", tautly directed by Brad Anderson, propels that iconic "Mad Men" tv star Jon Hamm into the long-vacant Hollywood position created in the '40s by Humphrey Bogart. It's a character persona of disillusioned, world-weary masculine presence that springs into action, however reluctantly, when absolutely necessary.

Previous IMDb reviews of this exciting film either have been premature (of the "Gee, I can't wait to see it" non-review content) or ignorantly dismissive, as if fiction had to be judged by reality standards, or location hunting be abandoned in favor of merely using the practical "real" places from the script. I guess Matt Damon in "The Martian" was somehow exempt from that latter idiotic requirement.

Several hit films come to mind, clearly "Argo" the most relevant in terms of demonstrating box office potential, and Hamm is blessed with a talented and selfless co-star in a key yet subdued role by Rosamund Pike, coincidentally having risen to stardom in "Argo" maestro Ben Affleck's "Gone Girl". The director cites Peter Weir's "The Year of Living Dangerously" as a key influence, and that's a fine source to draw from.

I appoint Hamm as the next Bogie because in addition to his classic good looks as leading man he captures here and in "Mad Men" the uncanny ability to define a film noir hero -self-divided, prone to hitting the bottle, and winning over a viewer no matter how close he comes to betraying his best moral instincts in service of self-interest. Certainly he could handle a remake of "Casablanca" (perhaps with currently hot-hot Scandi star Alicia VIkander as co-star) without much of a stretch.

Though low-budget and closer to pulp than a major Hollywood blockbuster, "Beirut" succeeds because it is fun, not because it is giving us a history lesson. The cliches of its genre and the unfortunate real-life cliches of the Middle East as a quagmire work very well in the traditional roller-coaster ride that is what Hollywood does best. Quibbling over accuracy is absurd; rather Gilroy should be commended for fashioning, over a period of several decades, a tight script that makes its historical points while firmly inhabiting the fantasy land of movies.

"I was a child during the Lebanese civil war, and I remember Israeli bombardments. So growing up, my view of Israel was completely negative. I'm not coming from a neutral place, but with time, I've had to re-examine my thinking." Ziad Doueiri (Lebanese director)

In the early '80's, Lebanon, and specifically Beirut, was a cauldron of conflicts that involved the interests of the US, the PLO, Israel, Syria, and Druze Militias. Director Brad Anderson and writer Tony Gilroy, reminding us of his fine work with Michael Clayton, carefully steer us through the city's growing rubble to chronicle the negotiations for a CIA spy to be exchanged for a rebel leader. Think The Year of Living Dangerously, Argo, and John le Carre for similar suspense.

Mason Skiles (Jon Hamm), a former US diplomat and current drunk, is called in as a skilled negotiator to bring back his friend, CIA agent Cal Riley (Mark Pellegrino), in a prisoner exchange. Hamm is particularly effective as a martini-soaked Cold War survivor whose role stateside after Lebanon as a labor negotiator has ennui written all over him.

Yet, this gig is fraught with danger because no one is a fool, and the smart players are too canny to be conned by a smooth talker like Mason. He has the good fortune to have his back guarded by cultural attaché Sandy Crowder (Rosamund Pike), an operative with multiple motives but a good bet to save the day.

Although little hope resides yet for a peace between Arabs and Israelis, the film succeeds in fleshing out the multiple points of view that have kept the Mideast a stew of ambitions and hatred. In the end, the film Beirut is an espionage thriller featuring an unBond, avowedly alcoholic hero. In that regard, it offers nothing new in this genre, just good action suspense and a modicum of insight.

The pace of this frenetic thriller set in the Lebanese Civil War is quick and smart with just enough character development to satisfy the harshest critics and enough turns in the negotiations to keep discerning audiences attentive and engaged. Be smart: see it.

That's the basis for this taut, fast-paced actioner set in the Middle East of the 70's. John Hamm is a State Dept. negotiator coaxed out of retirement to find an American operative held by (select one) the Palestinians, Israelis, Lebanese or maybe the PLO. Be sure to bring a pad and pencil to keep track of the cast and which side they are on, because you never know in "Beirut".

For some reason, this picture is getting bad ratings from IMDb contributors. I don't know if here is a Hollywood conspiracy against it, but the bad reviewers are way off. "Beirut" needs to be seen by fans of edge-of-your-seat thriller fans. Just pay close attention as some info goes by quickly, which is in keeping with the complex plot and brisk pace of the movie.

My star rating is in the heading. The website no longer prints mine.

Expected more in all honesty. Gives a very brief outline of an aspect of a very complicated conflict. Solid performances from the cast and solid direction from Brad Anderson. Middle of the road Middle Eastern thriller which just lacks cohesion and at does drag at certain points.

One reviewer indicated this was not filmed in Beirut and the city wasn't in the condition as depicted. Not ever having been there I won't dispute but the images of the damages and treatment of individuals were horrifying and set the tone for the film. But, terrorist activities in the area has been well documented since recorded history. Jon Hamm was exceptional in the development of his character and Rosemary Pike may have been somewhat miscast but she managed her character fairly well. What was most disturbing was the probability of sacrificing one to maintain a precarious "peace" in the Region. And, of course, there is the issue of corruption by a U.S. official in another country (go figure). All in all it is a complex story with something of an unlikely conclusion but it was still extremely entertaining.