Rendition

Tom's Recommended Film of the Week

Rendition

I really enjoy a good bit of suspense and action in a film. I also like the interweaving of stories that has become so popular of late. But I don't like films that tell you what to think, or preach to the viewer. I like for a film to bring up questions and allow the viewers to struggle with drawing concusions for themselves.

For the above stated reasons I cannot heartily recommend Lions for Lambs, even though it was a brisk, fast moving drama, it was too iron clad in its point of view for my liking. Lions for Lambswas an enjoyable film, but Rendition is oh so much better.

The is great suspense in Rendition, but mostly experienced through the characters, while the viewer pretty much knows where all of this is going. Never-the-less, Rendition is so well crafted and acted with such emotion and conviction that the viewer is compeled to watch as the story unfolds for better or worse.

Great performances are turned in by Jake Gyllenhaal, Alan Arkin, Meryl Streep, Reese Witherspoon, Omar Metwally, Rosie Malek-Yonan, Yigal Naor, J.K. Simmonsand Peter Sarsgaard. The film leaves a bit of room for debate on the behind closed doors story it airs, even though the slant is moraly clear. The eternal question of sinking to ones own enemies level and what that does to the soul of a person or a country is well worth bringing up again and again in a free society.

Rendition does this with compassion for several sides of the arguement. It's an entertaining two hours, which should provide the thoughtful viewer with a multitude of perspectives to ponder.