Désigné coupable

A lot of great talent make this a particularly riveting film. No punches are spared when it comes to how incompetent and inhumane Rumsfeld's policies were at Guantanamo. I criticized The Report for being too visceral in trying to make its point. This film had some very disturbing scenes as well but they were much more effective. You actually cared for the characters in the film. The Report and the Mauritanian make the same points, but where the Report was dry with little character development, The Mauritanian tells a fascinating personal tale.

Wow, really amazing and inspiring film. True story, Great acting and wonderful cinematography. Tahar Rahim must be nominated for the Oscars as best leading Actor!!

After 9/11, the USA caused Mohamedou Ould Slahi to be removed from his homeland and transported to the Guantanamo Bay detention facility, where he was kept for 14 years and two months, undergoing extreme forms of interrogation (amounting to torture), then was eventually released, never having been charged with any crime due to lack of firm evidence.

Now read that again:- After 9/11, the USA caused Mohamedou Ould Slahi to be removed from his homeland and transported to the Guantanamo Bay detention facility, where he was kept for 14 years and two months, undergoing extreme forms of interrogation (amounting to torture), then was eventually released, never having been charged with any crime due to lack of firm evidence.

How much impression did reading that make on your emotions? I guess not a great deal.

Now go and see this movie to help you imagine what it must have been like. Whether or not it's a true reflection of both sides of opinion, it's a sobering watch. Sometimes, the written word just isn't enough - thank heaven for good movies.

I think The Mauritanian gives a very insightful look at the extent governments will go to coverup how the treat prisoners. Here in the United States and other countries around the world. Doing all that can be done to get false witness against anyone. The end does not justify the means, which is something brought to light in this movie. This is a true story from the story told in the book Guantánamo Diary, written by Mohamedou Ould Slahi. It tells of his experiences in Guantanamo Bay. Maybe one day we will learn to treat each others as humans and respect deserved until the facts are proven.

Mohamedou Ould Slahi (Tahar Rahim) gets picked up by the Mauritanian police after 9/11. It's the start of his odyssey to Guantánamo Bay. Three years later, New Mexico defense attorney Nancy Hollander (Jodie Foster) gets recruited to be his lawyer. She is joined by junior associate Teri Duncan (Shailene Woodley). Meanwhile, Marine lawyer Stuart Couch (Benedict Cumberbatch) is recruited to be the prosecutor to give the prisoner a death sentence. He is eager for the job after losing a close friend in one of the planes. Former classmate Neil Buckland (Zachary Levi) is involved with the interrogation.

Director Kevin Macdonald delivers a clear-headed dissection of the case against Mohamedou who is known here as The Mauritanian. The power of this movie comes from a straight forward telling of his story. I am uncertain about portraying the torture but somehow it has to be laid down on film. I would consider a less direct approach to give the audience some space. There are a few lines of dialogue that I wish Nancy would say. The performances are beyond reproach. All in all, this is a powerful truth seeking missile of a film.