Taking on the system in Body Of Lies

Nov 21 2008 by Mike Davies, Birmingham Post

place becomes overcrowded and supplies short. Inevitably, Lord of the Flies-style factions arise with a new arrival (Gael Garcia Bernal) taking command of rations, exploiting the weak by demanding payment for food, first in valuables and then with sex.

As tragedy, retribution and conflict strike, Moore’s makeshift family eventually escape, finding themselves in, respectively, a city fallen apart, George Romero zombie pastiche and sentimental denouement.

Built on existential metaphor, Jose Saramajo’s novel about humanity under siege was deemed unfilmable for reasons Fernando Meirelles’ often incoherent adaptation makes abundantly clear.

The ‘whiteouts’ and scenes played in virtual darkness are far less effective. Not trusting audiences to join the dots, the screenplay insists in using Glover’s philosophical commentary and exposition to spell out the message for the allegory impaired.

WALTZ WITH BASHIR * * * *
Cert 18 87 mins subtitled
During military service, director Ari Folman was stationed in the Lebanon, yards from the refugee camps where, following the 1982 assassination of President Bashir Gemayel, Palestinian civilians were massacred by Christian militia while Israeli troops stood by.

Realising he’d blotted out all memories of the incident, he set out to interview fellow soldiers to try and recall what happened and does so in exemplary fashion.

MY BEST FRIEND'S GIRL * *
Cert 15 100 mins
Running a lucrative sideline as the date from hell, hired to send women running gratefully back into the arms of their exes, commitment-phobe Dane Cook agrees to help out best buddy Jason Biggs who wants workmate Kate Hudson to see him as more as a friend.

Things backfire, of course, when, having decided what she needs is some no strings sex, Hudson actually embraces Cook’s obnoxious behaviour. Confused at having the tables turned, he, naturally, finds himself falling for her, thereby setting the scene for assorted confrontations, self-recriminations and redemptions when the truth emerges.

Cook remains an immensely resistible romantic lead, Biggs serves warmed over American Pie and Hudson gives charm a bypass. The Jesus Crust Pizza Parlour is an amusing concept and Alec Baldwin steals scenes as Cook’s sleazy, chauvinist  father, but the sour taste of the film’s rampant misogyny is hard to swallow.