Beirut (2018) starring Jon Hamm is a film where I said: "Ya, that was pretty good." I'm not telling you it's the best of the best, but I enjoyed the thriller. Read here to see if you should give it a chance!
During a surging civil war, a CIA agent is kidnapped and held for ransom. The agency is forced to bring in former employee Mason Skiles to negotiate for his old friend's life.
What success can your film have when you're buried on the box office chart opening weekend? It's nearly zip. Take a look at the other films that weekend, and you'll see (click here). The film grossed under 8 million even though it had Jon Hamm and Rosemond Pike along with competent filmmaking. Without decent marketing and high ticket costs, your movie has an uphill battle.
Jon Hamm proves he has the ability to be the leading man on the big screen. We know his resume from AMC's Mad Men. Up until 2018 and after, he's mainly portrayed side characters in popular pictures such as Richard Jewell (2019), Baby Driver (2017) and The Town (2010). He is fantastic in those, but he could choose to lead more if he desires.
The script for these types of films can make or break it all. A thriller has to be complicated but followable. Beirut accomplishes this. Never did I think something didn't make sense or think a plot twist was stupid.
Not knowing much about the film before viewing it, I thought it may be an action flick. I was wrong, and that may be the reason why audience scores are mixed. In my opinion, it works better with its story as a dramatic thriller.
One critique is the friendship between Mason (Jon Hamm) and Cal (Mark Pellegrino) is not established well. It was difficult to understand a particular scene involving Cal's wife and her conversation with Mason.
Overall, it's an enjoyable watch. I'd compare it to Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy or Bridge of Spies for loose comparisons. If you like either of those, you'll relish this. Give it a chance! My film rating is A-.
(can be found currently on Hulu)
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