Seriously, Syriana not a Yawner
I took my son, Josh, to see Syriana, with George Clooney, Matt Damon, the dad from Sound of Music, the trainer from the Bourne Identity and a host of other really, really good actors. My fourteen year old is like a thirty year old in a daily morphing body. He has always caught onto things early – applying Aesops Fables to people at 2 ½ , catching concepts with incredible speed and accuracy – he should be in 8th grade but he is a freshman in high school taking all honors classes. Yeah, he’s pretty bright.
I knew before I went in that this was not going to be Ocean’s 238. Perhaps because no Brad, but mostly because I knew that George had gained thirty pounds and shaved his hairline back a few inches to make his character that much more believable. At first, I had flashes of thoughts like – “who the heck is Mr. Pope” “what did that mean” “what did he say” “I don’t get it”. There was no over-explaining. It moved like a documentary…unscripted. I felt as if I was eavesdropping at times the dialogue was so natural. A quarter of the way through, I had caught on and was completely engaged, about the time the first, and surprisingly, only couple left.

This film did not offer up the usual – here we come to save the dddaaaaayyyyyy! – Americans as we wish, but instead Americans as the rest of the world sees us and as we actually are. Not all bad. Definitely not all good. But as with every nation portrayed – a blend of good guys, bad guys, passionate guys, good guys who do bad things, well you get it. Undeniably a more accurate depiction of the human condition wherever you live. The problem I find with movies, besides the thirty minutes of advertising of upcoming features, is that the characters are all bad or all good which makes for characters to which it is hard to relate. This film (do you notice I keep calling it a film, I just did, and to me that is the ultimate compliment) is not here to simply entertain us. It asks us to be patient, pay attention, and allow our mind to be open to all that is being presented. It didn’t offer the standard – this is Bill, this is Bill’s wife, Bill works for Bob and Sue, he works for the CIA, he is good. None of the characters fit into stereotypes. Nothing turned out as I hoped, but it did turn out realistically.

There were a couple of explosions and there was torture. Which, personally, I think has become a term like “child molester”. What does that mean? It has been used so offhandedly that the meaning is lost. The actual act of child molestation is probably one of the most traumatic and destructive acts adults could possibly inflict on children. It devastates a child’s ability to trust or love for the rest of their lives. Such a simple phrase for such a horrific, long lasting act. Much like the word torture. That word has been tossed around like a nerf ball with as much impact. Pitch in “terrorists” and it is suddenly ok to do unspeakable things to another human being. However, watching our beloved boy, George, being tortured should have brought home how heartless one must be to do such ghastly things to another even to the most diehard supporter.
The movie ended with a quiet and somber exit from the theatre. When I returned from the mandatory restroom break upon the end of any film, I took one look at Josh’s face and knew that he was ready to burst. “That was the best movie I have ever seen!” He loved it. The realism, the blurring of lines between good and bad, the fairness of portrayal of our usual enemies. He raved. Josh doesn’t rave often, he’s pretty laid back and reflective, but he dug this movie. It surprised him. It engaged him. It riveted him. Josh loves the unusual which this absolutely is. He engaged immediately and was pulled into the intrigue, action, and portrayals from the onset. I loved it. The only thing I would have wanted is more connection with the immigrant workers, more of an emotional connect.

I still haven’t figured out who one guy worked for, but I think that’s the point. Two weeks after seeing most movies, I can’t remember the plot, but I will remember Syriana, because so much of it went unexplained and probably because so much of its premise is reflected in the headlines.