Taking on the system in Body Of Lies

Nov 21 2008 by Mike Davies, Birmingham Post

Mike Davies reviews the latest films

BODY OF LIES * * * *
Cert 15 128 min
Packing on the weight, Russell Crowe’s fourth film with Ridley Scott and his first with Leonardo DiCaprio takes its political cynicism about America’s Middle East involvement from Syriana and its spy movie action from Bourne.

DiCaprio is Roger Ferris, an Arab-speaking CIA agent working the war on terror frontline in Iraq, Syria and Jordan. Back in Langley, his morally pragmatic handler, Ed Hoffman (Crowe), keeps tabs on everything via spy satellites and cell phones. Determined to keep America in play, he’s willing to sacrifice agents and alliances or subvert operations. Crucially, that involves Ferris’ plan to smoke out the terrorist behind recent bombings by fabricating a rival organisation, faking evidence and setting up an unwitting innocent architect as its head.

As Hoffman’s manipulative interference threatens those involved, including Ferris’ love interest Amman nurse, and the fragile co-operation of urbane Jordanian security chief Salaam (Mark Strong), Ferris becomes increasingly disillusioned with his job and the CIA’.

The narrative may become contrived in its breakneck plot twists and turns, but Scott keeps a tight rein on the gritty explosive action and character interplay, eliciting electrifying counterpointed performances from DiCaprio, Crowe and Strong.

Ultimately, there’s less substance behind the smoke than it would have you believe, but the adrenaline kick is ample compensation.

CHOKE * * *
Cert 18 92 mins
Adapted from Chuck 'Fight Club' Palahniuk’s novel, Clark Gregg’s directorial debut is a blackly comic but not always focused examination of dysfunction, mother-son relationships, sexual compulsion and Catholic guilt.

Sam Rockell’s the weasly Victor, a Colonial theme park re-enactor and sex addict who can’t keep from falling off the wagon, especially during rehab.

He also runs a scam pretending to choke so wealthy marks will save him and give him the money which funds the care of dementia-afflicted mother Anjelica Huston in a private mental hospital.

Passing off fellow addict Brian William Henke as himself, he obtains her cryptic diary which, according to medical researcher Kelly Macdonald, reveals he shares