Body of Lies is a 2008 American spy film based on the novel of the same name by David Ignatius about a CIA operative who goes to Jordan to track a high-ranking terrorist.
The film is directed by Ridley Scott, written by William Monahan, and stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Russell Crowe, Vince Colosimo, and Iranian actress Golshifteh Farahani. Production took place in Washington D.C. and Morocco. Body of Lies was released in the United States on October 10, 2008.
Plot: Roger Ferris (DiCaprio) is a CIA operative, most likely from their elite Special Activities Division. He is in Iraq trying to track down a terrorist called Al Saleem. While following a lead, Ferris’ asset (who he has become good friends with) is killed during a car chase involving terrorists, rocket-propelled grenades and two missile-firing U.S. helicopters. Ferris recovers from his injuries at a U.S. facility in Qatar before he is sent to Jordan to run down some intelligence he recovered in Iraq. Meanwhile, unknown terrorists plan to follow up an offscreen series of bus bombings in Sheffield, with more attacks in Manchester but blow themselves up when the police find their cell. Later, another terrorist undertakes a cell phone-triggered bombing in an Amsterdam flower market that kills at least 75 people.
Cast
* Leonardo DiCaprio as Roger Ferris, a CIA operative who is sent to Jordan. DiCaprio chose to pursue the role because he considered it a throwback to political films in the 1970s such as The Parallax View (1974) and Three Days of the Condor (1975).
* Russell Crowe as Edward “Ed” Hoffman, a manipulative CIA boss who teams with Ferris. Crowe gained 63 pounds to suit his role. The actor said as a result of the film’s exploration of the American government and foreign policy, “I don’t think it will be very popular, but that’s never been part of my project choice process.”
* Golshifteh Farahani as Aisha, Ferris’ nurse in Jordan.
* Mark Strong as Hani Salaam, head of the Jordanian General Intelligence Department (GID). Strong ascribed his acquisition of the role to his performances in the 2005 films Syriana and Oliver Twist.
* Vince Colosimo as Skip, Ferris aide-de-camp in Jordan.
* Alon Abutbul as Al Saleem, a powerful terrorist leader.
* Oscar Isaac as Bassam, Ferris’ translator and partner in Samarra, Iraq.
* Simon McBurney as Garland, an eccentric CIA computer whiz.
* Ali Suliman as Omar Sadiki, an innocent architect used by Ferris as a pawn.
* Kais Nashif as Mustafa Karami, Hani Salaam’s mole in Al Saleem’s unit, a crucial element in the latter part of the plot.
