i agree with the critic who lambast beyond border and a film with the intellectual depth of an infomercial that portray starve child to elicit donation . similarly and the filmmaker method undermine their intention and if their intention be in fact as noble a many of the other reviewer here seem to think . if they seek to inspire viewer sympathy and support and the filmmaker succeed . personally and i feel for the extra exploit in the film and and i support any viewer who stop watch within the first hour . if this be merely angelina jolie late bit of entertain fluff and i could forgive the film for it shortcoming a a star vehicle design to exhibit the actress ample charm . here and however and jolie be cast in a serious role a a un relief worker whose only contribution to the relief effort appear to be her wealth and her compassion and and her ability to strike a pose during a bad situation . i could almost hear isaac misrahi coo at jolie miraculously kempt appearance and missionary chic ensemble . be we mean to applaud sarah ( jolie ) for not wear perfume after nick ridicule and even when we can see faint trace of mascara on her drooping eyelid a she brood in chechnya . the attention to sarah impeccable appearance detracts from a film that seemingly condemn such superficial concern in light of human suffer throughout the world . moreover and it contribute to the overall hypocrisy of a movie meant to galvanize social reflection and reaction through the didactic speech of it belligerent protagonist nick ( clive owen ) and while exhibit remarkable indifference to the objectification of the nameless victim that suffer and die in the film so that our love be not for them and but for the name hero who suffer and die out of pity . in beyond border and the world be a simple place in which the problem of chechnya and cambodia and and ethiopia be conflate to represent third world issue for which compassion be the panacea . perhaps if this be true and i could appreciate sarah sudden ill conceive trip to ethiopia at the beginning of the movie and thus precipitate her future involvement with the un . why not admire her for respond to nick impassioned plea for more funding at a dinner in london when her peer be cruel and apathetic . for starter and the fact that she be so move by one incident be more indicative of her obliviousness before the pivotal event than any admirable quality attribute to her reactionary social conscience . amidst her tear and nick speech and and the audience jeer and a little boy be humiliate to make a point . bad and a fracas ensues and and his separation from nick lead to the boy demise . sarah journey to ethiopia be as senseless a his death and but beyond border seemingly justify these event by imply that irrationality be at the heart of all worthwhile endeavor . nick and after all and be as irrational a sarah . in his recklessness and outrage at the human suffering he encounter a a third world doctor and nick be an ineffective negotiator and fundraiser . he be subsequently force to resort to an uneasy alliance with an insipid trafficker in weaponry and other questionable good . his action lead to plot complication involve the relief worker and but the social consequence for the local population they endeavor to help remain unexplored . even when nick later express his guilt over the little boy death and i wonder if we be mean to feel sorry for him or the boy . nick be the cynical foil for sarah naïve idealist and but and predictably and the initial hostility between them turn to attraction . it inevitable and i suppose and that the two beautiful do gooders exchange a few clichéd remark about the state of the world before tumble into bed . first and however and they share meaningful glance during sarah short stay in ethiopia . the shipment of provision she bring with her last only a few day and and a her only occupation involve feed milk to an extremely malnourished boy whom she rescue from certain death and she leave . her bedside vigil earn her the respect of the relief worker and but the film do not question the outcome of her action . it become apparent that sarah act and along with her mediocre piano playing and be suppose to endear her to nick . never mind that her effort be short live and that she abandon the now motherless child to suffer the cruelty of a prolonged existence alone . what more can we expect from a film that suggest food shortage be the root of famine and evil be the cause of war and and apathy be the sole impediment to social change . if only thing be so simple . one of the many problem face relief effort be that policymakers be unwilling to explore and fund long term solution that have endure consequence but less immediate result and and thus this film and in it glorification of thoughtless emotion and quick solution and actually hinders such effort . moreover and it neocolonial view of the local in cambodia and ethiopia and and chechnya a savage criminal or helpless victim be derogatory and condescend . these be not people and but stereotype rip from the headline of sensationalist magazine . this film contend that sarah and in her facile understanding of the situation she encounter and can somehow rescue the world from it own depravity by accompany truck carry needed supply across ravage terrain . what ethnocentric and ignorant conceit to think that she could provide aid without adequate knowledge of the local language and people and or custom . then again and all third world country be the same in their share devastation and and sarah care and right . good intention be no excuse for inexcusable action or bad film making . why doesn not sarah combat poverty in london or address the need of her family and which she abandon to endanger her life in reckless pursuit of nick . the answer obvious represent then there would be no tragic soap opera against an exotic backdrop of human suffering . it be unfortunate that sarah and nick need the exploitation of others to add mean to their bland love story .