Beirut

Name: Beirut
Genre: Drama, Thriller
Released: April 11, 2018
Duration: 109 min
Rating: 69
Cast: Alon Aboutboul, Dean Norris, Douglas Hodge, Jon Hamm, Jonathan Coyne

2018

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 31 Critic Reviews

See All

USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 62 Ratings

See All

6.4

VOTE NOW

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

6.4	Your Score
6.4	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 62 Ratings

Would you like to write a review?

There is a 75 character minimum for reviews. If your review contains spoilers, please check the Spoiler box. Please do not use ALL CAPS. There is no linking or other HTML allowed. Your review may be edited for content. 0/5000

Check box if your review contains spoilers

Play Sound

Please enter your birth date to watch this video:

You are not allowed to view this material at this time.

Beirut

Now Playing: Beirut

Movie Details & Credits

Bleecker Street Media | Release Date: April 11, 2018 | R

Starring: Alon Aboutboul, Dean Norris, Douglas Hodge, Jon Hamm, Jonathan Coyne, Kate Fleetwood, Larry Pine, Leïla Bekhti, Mark Pellegrino, Rosamund Pike, Shea Whigham

Summary: A U.S. diplomat (Jon Hamm) flees Lebanon in 1972 after a tragic incident at his home. Ten years later, he is called back to war-torn Beirut by CIA operatives (Rosamund Pike) to negotiate for the life of a friend he left behind.

Director: Brad Anderson

Genre(s): Drama, Thriller

Rating: R

Runtime: 109 min

See All Details and Credits

Watch Now

Stream On

Buy on

Stream On

Expand

Metascore

Positive:

Mixed:

Negative:

Critic Reviews

Kenneth Turan

Apr 10, 2018

Even decades after it was written Beirut is as relevant as it is entertaining, and it is very entertaining indeed. Read full review

The Guardian Jordan Hoffman

Jan 24, 2018

This isn’t a particularly chancy film, unless the decision to go old school is considered such. It is still, however, quite good. Read full review

David Edelstein

Jan 26, 2018

In Beirut, Hamm still doesn’t have the outsize personality we associate with major movie stars — a lot of whom are lesser actors. But he has focus. He can think onscreen. He can make you watch him closely, trying to keep up with the wheels churning in his head. I think he has fully arrived on the big screen. Read full review

Mick LaSalle

Apr 10, 2018

This is a good movie for Hamm, and also for Pike who, in her recent films, has too often been either a madwoman or a victim of circumstance (and sometimes both). Here she gets to be active and think on her feet, and it makes a big difference. Read full review

Alan Scherstuhl

Apr 10, 2018

This engaging and intelligent script could have been more of both if Beirut made room for the experience of anyone besides the Americans. The filmmakers do memorable work examining what it might take to solve this one particular crisis, but do too little examining the city itself. The title promises something the movie doesn’t deliver. Read full review

Richard Whittaker

Apr 4, 2018

What papers over any remaining cracks is the perfect casting of Hamm as the fixer turned business consultant dragged back into the morass. His raw charisma, and near-peerless ability to sweat martinis through a disheveled linen suit and still look stylish, sends the film's moral compass spinning – exactly as it should. Read full review

The Film Stage Daniel Schindel

Jan 24, 2018

Beirut has zero character as a setting, reduced to a generic backdrop of rubble and sand. It’s not a real place with a distinct culture in a time and political situation which any writer worth their salt could cull mountains of rich material from – it’s Scarymuslimabad, capital of Clicheistan. Read full review

SEE ALL 31 REVIEWS

Write a Review

User Reviews

MixedMessage

Apr 28, 2018

Underrated movie, driven forward by a twisting but reasonably grounded plot, taken to the next level by consistently strong performances all around. A movie for grownups - the previews included a comic book movie and a Harry Potter movie, if that is your usual speed you will probablyUnderrated movie, driven forward by a twisting but reasonably grounded plot, taken to the next level by consistently strong performances all around. A movie for grownups - the previews included a comic book movie and a Harry Potter movie, if that is your usual speed you will probably complain this film is slow and boring.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

keemt

Sep 1, 2018

Just a solid ass movie.

Jon Hamm doing that thing again where he makes a great movie and it's too good for everyone to go see.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

NikolayG

Aug 24, 2018

A really good movie, 8.5 actually, one of the best I've seen this year, with an actual plot that requires more than one brain cell to follow. Refreshing. And Jon Hamm does a great job. This is a grossly underrated thriller.

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

GinaK

Apr 18, 2018

A generally good film with an interesting beginning and end, but with a dull, repetitive middle. Jon Hamm and Rosamund Pike were excellent as was the rest of the cast. My guess is that the problem was with the direction. The state of Lebanon is very sad but showing long shots of the ruinsA generally good film with an interesting beginning and end, but with a dull, repetitive middle. Jon Hamm and Rosamund Pike were excellent as was the rest of the cast. My guess is that the problem was with the direction. The state of Lebanon is very sad but showing long shots of the ruins over and over again made the film seem dull, regardless of the good acting. I think the director could have varied the shots more, since too often he seemed to be showing the same colorless ruins over and over again.… Expand

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

Copperwiire

May 25, 2018

Considered an espionage thriller without a lot of showcasing of the actual espionage this films spans a decade between events surrounding diplomat Mason Skiles (Jon Hamm) which first causes him to leave Beirut and events that force him to return a decade later during the Lebanese Civil WarConsidered an espionage thriller without a lot of showcasing of the actual espionage this films spans a decade between events surrounding diplomat Mason Skiles (Jon Hamm) which first causes him to leave Beirut and events that force him to return a decade later during the Lebanese Civil War between 1972-1982. Directed by Brad Anderson (The Machinist & Session 9) in his biggest budget film to date.

Written by Tony Gilroy who has had a hand in many films (Rogue One, Nightcrawler, Duplicity etc) is always able to add a good deal of human element to characters. Cast wise this film stars the incomparable Jon Hamm and very talented actress Rosamund Pike who traverse their way through the war torn streets of Beirut to track down his friend and CIA officer Cal Riley who’s been kidnapped and knows a lot of valuable info about day to day operations. Without giving away any story Mason Skiles runs into a lot of familiar faces on his way to trying to find his friend and gets a crash course on all that’s happened since he left ten years prior.

‍‍‍‍‍‍I enjoy‍‍‍ these types of films because they really do put another lens on how dangerous the rest of the world can truly be and how circumstance changes a lot of lives in an instant. With great acting, just enough action and just enough education these are films that definitely widen a perspective on our relations with other countries.… Expand

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

TVJerry

Apr 13, 2018

Jon Hamm gets his first leading film role as a US diplomat who's called back to the titular city to negotiate a prisoner exchange. He does a good job of staying on top of Tony Gilroy's continuous dialogue. But unlike the "Bourne" films the writer is know for, this is much more aboutJon Hamm gets his first leading film role as a US diplomat who's called back to the titular city to negotiate a prisoner exchange. He does a good job of staying on top of Tony Gilroy's continuous dialogue. But unlike the "Bourne" films the writer is know for, this is much more about political conflict and intrigue than action (there are only very short, minor action scenes). For someone who's not familiar with the historical importance of the events in the 80s Lebanon (like me), the complexity of the machinations and layers of leaders may sometimes be confusing. Still, the film moves briskly and makes sufficient sense to keep it involving. It helps that Hamm's performance provides a strong central core.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

Broyax

May 18, 2020

Je ne cacherais pas que la seule raison que j'ai eu de regarder ce film -ou de tenter de le regarder plutôt- c'est Rosamund Pike, la très charmante blonde... qui peut sévèrement piquer de temps en temps et avec grande conviction (cf Gone Girl !)... Hélas, elle est ici cantonnée à la portionJe ne cacherais pas que la seule raison que j'ai eu de regarder ce film -ou de tenter de le regarder plutôt- c'est Rosamund Pike, la très charmante blonde... qui peut sévèrement piquer de temps en temps et avec grande conviction (cf Gone Girl !)... Hélas, elle est ici cantonnée à la portion congrue, voire quasiment l'insignifiance ou la simple fairevaloir de l'autre blaireau (Jon Hamm) lequel -je ne le cache pas- ne m'a pas convaincu du tout.

Mais en dehors de ces contingences plus ou moins gênantes (déjà) c'est surtout l'histoire peu crédible, le scénario pas croyable et l'ensemble du sujet très rebutant pour ne pas dire simplement chiant et ressassé à l'envi de cette stupide (le mot est faible; très faible) guerre de religions millénaire(s) dans ce moyen-orient de cinglés...

J'en ai personnellement mais très personnellement rien mais vraiment rien à secouer, alors tout un film là-dessus et notamment sur le Liban (ancien protectorat français, c'est de l'histoire très ancienne) j'en ai rien à cirer non plus et je m'en tamponne le coquillard en force. Tout cela pour dire que ce film -qui se traîne carrément trop de toute façon- n'a aucun intérêt, ni présent, ni passé, ni futur, y compris en avance rapide de sa mère.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

SEE ALL 22 REVIEWS