BEIRUT Trailer
The personal and the political blend in Beirut, the latest thriller from director Brad Anderson.
Anderson, who has already made several memorable entries in the genre like The Machinist and Transsiberian, teams with Bourne series writer Tony Gilroy for a film mired in Middle Eastern turmoil. Jon Hamm stars as a troubled diplomat enlisted by the CIA to negotiate his friend’s release. Even with an operative assigned for his safety (Rosamund Pike), the assignment is likely to put him in great danger while ripping open old wounds. The tension seems to stem from whether he can keep his head on straight, and in this messy situation, that is far from a sure thing.
Setting the film in Beirut means they’ve got a long history of upheaval to pull from, but it also comes with it’s share of controversies. Some are already calling out Beirut for centering on white characters, sidelining Arabs, and for tastelessly releasing the film on the anniversary of the Lebanese Civil War.
It’s hard to tell from the trailer if all of these are fair accusations, so until the film is first seen at the Sundance Film Festival, these questions will have to linger in the air. Until then, there’s more than enough talent behind the film to get excited.
Beirut is directed by Brad Anderson and stars Rosamund Pike, Jon Hamm, and Shea Whigham. It will be released in the U.S. on April 13th, 2018. Further release dates are not currently known.
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