Body of Lies

CIA operative Leonardo DiCaprio finds himself at odds with boss Russell Crowe during a search for a high-ranking terrorist.

Body of Lies is director Ridley Scott’s version of younger brother Tony’s earlier effort Spy Game. This time the action’s moved to the Middle East, with Leonardo DiCaprio playing the Brad Pitt role, and Russell Crowe playing the Robert Redford part, but Ridley’s version is also much darker and far less tidy, resulting in a more thought-provoking effort.

Performance wise, DiCaprio is solid, though he’s outshined by both Crowe and Mark Strong. Crowe is amazing as a man-behind-the-curtain dealing in half-truths and human lives, his overweight, graying appearance belying a calculating, opportunistic ambition. Playing another version of the same character, Strong cloaks the same ambition in a suave, tailored shell that’s just as deceiving. Though it’s DiCaprio’s film to carry, Crowe and Strong have the juicier roles.

Script-wise, it’s a powerful story. Screenwriter William Monahan trusts the audience to keep up as the plot moves across the globe, all the while maintaining a steady level of tension and intrigue. His only misstep comes in the form of an ill-conceived love interest for DiCaprio’s character. This whole plot thread feels very Hollywood and artificial, more so because it ends up being part of the deus-ex-machina that leads to the film’s finale. Granted, it’s not enough to bring down the film, but it’s a big blemish on what was otherwise a very original and intense espionage thriller.