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George Clooney, Matt Damon, Jeffrey Wright, Chris Cooper, William Hurt ... see more see more... , Tim Blake Nelson , Amanda Peet , Christopher Plummer , Alexander Siddig , Mazhar Munir , Nicholas Reese Art , Mark Strong , Jayne Atkinson , David Clennon , Robert Foxworth , Nicky Henson , Nadim Sawalha , Jamey Sheridan , Fritz Michel , Peter Gerety , Akbar Kurtha , Viola Davis , William C. Mitchell , Sonnell Dadral , Max Minghella , Shahid Ahmed , Tom McCarthy , Christopher McDonald , Gina Gershon , Luke Barnett , Michelle Monaghan , Nicholas Art , Susan Allenback

Oil drives greed in Oscar-winning Traffic screenwriter Stephen Gaghan's labyrinthine sophomore directorial effort that traces the corruption of the global oil industry from the backrooms of Washington... read more read more..., D.C., to the petroleum-rich fields of the Middle East. Based in part on the writings of former CIA case officer Robert Baer, Syriana combines multiple storylines to explore the complexities that befall a proposed merger between two U.S. oil giants. Reform-minded Gulf country prince Nasir (Alexander Siddig) is in favor of making his nation more self-sufficient rather than U.S.-reliant, and his money-minded Western connections couldn't be less pleased. Before settling into a cushy desk job for the remainder of his career, CIA agent Bob Barnes (George Clooney) is sent on one last assignment -- to assassinate Prince Nasir and reinstate U.S. ties in the oil-rich region. Though his loyalty dictates that Barnes carry out his current mission despite lingering doubts of a previous blunder, his mission goes horribly awry when his field contact goes turncoat and Barnes becomes a CIA scapegoat. Meanwhile, up-and-coming Washington attorney Bennett Holiday (Jeffrey Wright) attempts to walk a fine line in overseeing a tenuous merger between two oil giants that's plagued with shady business dealings. Hotshot energy analyst Bryan Woodman (Matt Damon) is in talks to form a lucrative partnership with Prince Nasir, though the death of his son during a party at the prince's estate makes him question his loyalty to business over family. Back in Washington, D.C., Bennet's boss Dean Whiting attempts to undermine Prince Nasir's attempts to make his country less reliant on the U.S. dollar by planting the seeds of dissonance between the progressive prince and his money-minded younger brother Prince Meshal (Akbar Kurtha). ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

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65% liked it

206,842 ratings

Critics

72% liked it

193 critics

R, 2 hr. 8 min.

Directed by: Stephen Gaghan

Release Date: December 9, 2005

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DVD Release Date: June 20, 2006

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Flixster Reviews (9,273)

  • fb701560354
    April 4, 2012
    fb701560354
    Syriana is not a film for everyone. It requires the audience to be extremely attentive, and may even require multiple viewings to be able to fully understand who is doing what, where they're doing it, and why they're doing it. The plot is so complicated and ambitious that at th... read moree beginning I found myself frustrated and annoyed that I didn't get it and that it was moving at such a slow pace. There are also multiple plot lines that never really have anything to do with each other except that the actions of one affects one of the other plot lines thus altering the outcome. But all these quibbles put aside, Syriana is a wake-up call to people who think everything is going well in the oil sectors of the world, it's got this docu-drama feel to it, and it rings true in every sense. George Clooney stands out amidst an outstanding cast. I think I'd need to see it again, and pay much closer attention to be able to fully comprehend and understand what was going on. Definitely go see Syriana, but see it when you are awake and prepared to pay attention.
  • DreamExtractor
    March 27, 2011
    DreamExtractor
    An exhilirating movie that is fun to watch and interesting to think about. Clooney steals the show.
  • stevenecarrier
    March 20, 2011
    stevenecarrier
    "Syriana" is a rubrics cube of a film and like a rubrics cube, it can be maddening, unassuming and unsatisfying. But also like the game, "Syriana" can be immensely rewarding if given the proper attention. "Syriana" is not a film for everyone, hell, it's not even a film for most f... read moreans of "Traffic" (Stephen Gagan's other complicated screenplay about an endless geopolitical issue). I read in a review that "Syriana" is like trying to follow four separate chess games at once and I believe that to be extremely accurate. The characters in the film are 'professional liars' as one puts it, making it extremely hard to track their actions, but it's in that intense conflict where "Syriana" is it's most gripping. Figuring out who is connected to who (hint, they are all connected) and tracing how the smallest decisions can lead to death is fascinating. Everything about the film rings true, from the dialogue, to the locations, to the interactions. I also was really taken in by the themes of family. "Syriana" also works as an epic family crime saga. I use the term loosely because 'families' can be created on a whim in this film. It's interesting to see how the oil business (or epidemic? or addiction?) can corrupt every aspect of a (born or self made) family. Special note should be paid to the actors with George Clooney (in an Oscar winning role), Matt Damon and Christopher Plummer standing out. What solidifies "Syriana" as the defining political thriller of the 00s is Robert Elswit's (my favorite DP) cinematography. He makes the film cohesive when it seems as if it's going to fly off the rails. "Syriana" is a film we really don't see made anyone, a political thriller that zeros in a situation rather than a person to make a statement about a problem.
  • TheDudeLebowski65
    September 12, 2010
    TheDudeLebowski65
    Syriana is a top notch, exhilarating political thriller film. Loosely based on the political memoir of ex CIA operative Robert Baer, See No Evil; Syriana takes a look at the impact of the oil industry as two important oil companies seek to merge in a new deal. What becomes of thi... read mores merger unfolds into multiple subplots to the main story. Syriana's plot is riveting and multi layered, and is very complex. Some viewers will be confused while watching the film. I've seen this film at least five times, and I'm only now making sense of things happening on screen. Syriana is a pulse pounding thriller with non stop thrills and suspense. The cast delivers strong performances here. Most notably Chris Cooper and Jeffrey Wright. I know I didn't mention the films biggest stars, but I found these two actors to deliver some of the best and most intriguing performances of the film. George Clooney as well delivered, but to me, Chris Cooper really shined in this film, but I find that Cooper and Wright delivered the most blistering performances. In fact the entire cast was great here, but those two actors really brought the best out of this film. Syriana is a top notch political Thriller. I however cannot recommend this film to everyone as it's highly complex and it's very hard to understand as there are three subplots to the main story. Whatever your personal stance on this film, Syriana is a bold and powerful film that if you're interested in such subjects will definitely leave you in awe. This is the best political Thriller of recent memory and may be the best of 'its kind. Read Robert Baer's book See No Evil as well.
  • Julie
    July 26, 2010
    Julie
    Eh. Good performances, nothing you haven't seen before and a lot of work to follow.
  • smith44
    February 5, 2010
    smith44
    Syriana cleverly poses a global problem: the world is addicted to oil and there isn't enough for everyone and most of the oil is in unstable governments. Although Syriana is excellent at showing what not to do, it has no clear solution of its own. Geroge Clooney's Oscar winning r... read moreole.
  • SirPant
    September 22, 2009
    SirPant
    This is a great gripping political thriller set in the Persian Gulf, with George Clooney in one of the best performances of his career!
  • Gx7
    September 20, 2009
    Gx7
    Proper review to follow. Too tired. --Serious film, brutal 5 minute torture scene. Its quite a complicated story but I think the director managed to pull it off quite nicely. The trailer is a bit deceiving though.
  • djdemersseman
    June 8, 2009
    djdemersseman
    Honestly, I fell asleep a few times during this one. I love Jeffrey Wright, and George Clooney really impresses me sometimes, but this was just too long.
  • allan913
    September 29, 2008
    allan913
    A triumph. Powerful, riveting and electrifying. Chilling, compelling, magnetic, devestating and totally unforgettable. A brilliant, first-rate, exciting, gripping, searing, scorching and enaging drama. Thrilling and explosive. Intoxicating, whip-smart and incrediably enthralling.... read more An edge of your seat thriller with a major political message that tells it like it is. It demands real attention. It's one of those rare and great films that actually has something to say. A gripping story of oil, terrorism, intrigue and politics. A superb multi-layered plot that boils and thrills. An astonishing all-star cast. George Clooney is outstanding. A demanding and searing performance. Matt Damon is teriffic. Chris Cooper is fantastic. Jeffrey Wright is great. Alexander Siddig is fantastic. The rest of the cast also turn in brilliant performances.

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Critic Reviews

J. R. Jones
March 30, 2009
J. R. Jones, Chicago Reader

This is intelligent, committed, and politically provocative, though its narrative puzzle box may prompt you to throw up your hands and let ExxonMobil go on running the world. Full Review

David Ansen
November 1, 2007
David Ansen, Newsweek

Its dark, dog-eat-dog vision of the world we live in may give you geopolitical nightmares. Full Review

Stephanie Zacharek
October 7, 2006
Stephanie Zacharek, Salon.com

It's entirely possible that Gaghan just isn't an actor's director. Full Review

Stanley Kauffmann
January 3, 2006
Stanley Kauffmann, New Republic

Syriana impresses, not because it is very moving, which it isn't, or because it is crystal clear, which it also isn't, but because it is so large, so encompassing, so seemingly privy to inside stuff.

Ruthe Stein
December 9, 2005
Ruthe Stein, San Francisco Chronicle

It's hard to get passionately swept away by a movie when you're struggling continually to figure out who's doing what to whom and why. Full Review

Roger Moore
December 9, 2005
Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel

Syriana is complex, engrossing, involving and depressing. Difficult to absorb, it is also difficult to accept, and it is one of the best films of 2005. Full Review

Amy Biancolli
December 9, 2005
Amy Biancolli, Houston Chronicle

Syriana is an ambitious edifice, built with conviction and skill. But I'm not sure I understand it, and I'm not sure I care. Full Review

Tom Long
December 9, 2005
Tom Long, Detroit News

A purposely jagged and harsh news story of a film, Syriana attempts to take on the powers that run the world and for the most part it succeeds. Full Review

Terry Lawson
December 9, 2005
Terry Lawson, Detroit Free Press

It forces you to intently watch and listen and ask questions, something that in the past six years has been skillfully portrayed as an unpatriotic response to an increasingly complex international sce... Full Review

Robert Denerstein
December 9, 2005
Robert Denerstein, Denver Rocky Mountain News

[Syriana] has what lots of great thrillers have, a sense that it knows things we don't, that even the most skeptical of us may be a little naive about the ways of the world.

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    • Mussawi: [Bob is tied to a chair with his hands on a table] Bob, your gonna give me the names of everyone who has taken money from you. [he pulls a fingernail from Bob's hand with a plier] Oh, that is disgusting.
    • Robby Barnes: Jimmy, your not one of those Koran thumpers.
    • Mussawi: My name is Mussawi. [he pulls another fingernail from Bob. He then throws water at Bob's face and begins punching him violently in the face] You fucking fuck, stupid fuck, what the fuck! This is a fucking war! Your a P.O.fucking W! Give me the fucking names! [Bob hits his head against the ground, still tied to the chair] Fuck it. [in Arabic] I'm cutting his fucking head off. [he grabs a knife and kneels down to bob's head] I'm gonna cut your head off Bob.
    • Jimmy Pope: Corruption is our protection. Corruption keeps us safe and warm. Corruption is why we win.
    • Bryan Woodman: But what do you need a financial advisor for? Twenty years ago you had the highest Gross National Product in the world, now you're tied with Albania. Your second largest export is secondhand goods, closely followed by dates which you're losing five cents a pound on... You know what the business community thinks of you? They think that a hundred years ago you were living in tents out here in the desert chopping each other's heads off and that's where you'll be in another hundred years, so on behalf of my firm I accept your offer.
    • Bob Barnes: I want you to take him from his hotel, drug him, put him in the front of a car, and run a truck into it at 50 mph.
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Syriana Trivia

  • What actor plays in Perfect Storm, Oceans 11, and Syriana?  Answer »
  • George Clooney and Matt Damon have acted together in various films. Can you name at least three of them?  Answer »
  • In what movie did Matt Damon star with George Clooney, where Matt Damon's "son" died in a pool?  Answer »
  • who's the actor in syriana who win a oscar?  Answer »
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