Director: Paul Greengrass
Cast: Matt Damon, Amy Ryan, Brendan Gleeson
As with 'Shutter Island' and the re-teaming of DiCaprio and Scorsese, so that of Damon and Greengrass – actors and directors who can bring the best out of one another’s work.
Damon, developing into a fine performer of wide-ranging ability, here plays a US soldier of almost the unknown variety since we know little about his past or who he is, other than he is Iraq doing what he believes is the right and just thing.
Only he is there on a lie, that of there being WMD’s which he and his men must find.
When he fails in his task he begins to question the entire, unhappy mission.
Greengrass brings us a quiet, thoughtful and mature film about the miserable war and paints a war more of conflicts within – the CIA (represented by Gleeson) against the military – than anything else and does it with an authentic, almost documentary, feel that adds power and insight to a fine drama.
Star Rating: 4/5
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