Movie Review: "Beirut"

"Beirut": B+.  Although the Lebanese Civil War did not technically start until 1975, the vibe in the capital city of Beirut three years before was not one of peace and tranquility.  The uneasiness stemmed from a combination of a weak central government and several revolutionary factions who were biding their time waiting for the most opportune moment to strike a match.  Those factions had their roots in political, religious and ethnic causes.  Lurking in the background were the Israelis, who many felt were just looking for an excuse to invade.  Even without an invasion, the invisible Mossad was never far away.  The scene in 1972 Beirut was described by Mason Skiles (Jon Hamm), the main character in the movie Beirut, as "a boarding house without a landlord."

Yet, to a casual observer or even a tourist, life in the Mediterranean city went on undisturbed.  When we are introduced to Skiles, an American diplomat stationed in Beirut, he and his wife, Nadia, are hosting a sophisticated party in their upscale residence.  Skiles is dashing, eloquent and at ease making the rounds, graciously catering to his guests.  He is helped by a thirteen year old Lebanese orphan, Karim, whom Skiles and Nadia have rescued off the streets.

The first sign of trouble occurs midway through the party when Skiles' best friend and colleague, Cal Riley (Mark Pellegrino), confronts him with the shocking news that one of the terrorists behind the recent Munich Olympics massacre is Karim's brother, Rami (Ben Affan).  An incredulous Skiles is slow to react.  Moments later the worst fears as planted by Riley come true.

We leap ahead ten years to Act Two.  Skiles is back in the States, his life as a rising star in the world of diplomacy long gone.  When bad things happen on your watch, that is the end of the line.  Instead, he is a depressed alcoholic, working as a labor contract mediator trying in vain to get union reps and management "suits" to meet in the middle.  It is as far removed from his previous exciting career as possible.  While sitting alone at a bar, his usual haunt, a former acquaintance, Sully, drops an envelope in front of Skiles and tells him his presence is requested in Beirut to deliver a lecture at the American University.  Inside the envelope is a passport, $6,500 and a plane ticket.  Skiles correctly figures the lecture is just a pretext for getting him back to Lebanon, now in the midst of its civil war, but he takes the bait anyway.

Things move fast when he arrives in Beirut.  The city is a shambles, armed military personnel is everywhere, and keeping a low profile is the order of the day.  At the U.S. embassy Skiles is greeted by three male State Department officials, Gaines, Muzak and Shalen, plus their apparent subordinate, Agent Sandy Crowder (Rosamund Pike).  Skiles wants to dispense with the niceties and cut right to the chase.  Why was he needed in Beruit, a place from which he'd been professionally exiled a decade ago?  The foursome advises Skiles that he's there to negotiate and facilitate the release of an American hostage from his militant captors.  Skiles' background as a labor mediator and his fluency in Arabic will come in handy.  It soon becomes apparent to Skiles that the Americans are less interested in the welfare of the hostage than they are about the possibility of him divulging under duress highly classified information.  The identities of the captive and the chief captor may surprise you -- but probably not.

Beirut was written and produced by Tony Gilroy, who also wrote the scripts for four Jason Bourne movies plus Michael Clayton, my highest-ranked film from 2007.  I had heard that the story line for Beirut was complex, so I brought some insurance with me to the cinema, viz., Momma Cuandito, whom I sometimes rely on for post-viewing explanations.  It turns out the story, while a little tangled at times, is not as complicated as I'd feared.  An expert writer, Gilroy surely does know how to spin a tale.

John Hamm was a splendid choice to play Skiles.  He is mostly known as a television actor, particularly for his work in the hit show Mad Men, which ran for seven seasons, an almost unheard of feat in that medium.  Mason Skiles is by far the best movie role in which Hamm has ever been cast, a fearless go-between who is willing to walk into volatile environments without packing a weapon.  As AARP Magazine might say, Beirut is a movie for grownups.  Put it on your Must See List.