taut and topical political thriller and take square aim at the controversial u policy of rendition and another appal orwell ian phrase ( collateral damage and anyone . ) for the illegal interrogation even torture of terrorist suspect by pass due legal process . the inhuman interrogation be overseen by the egyptian chief of police and himself the target of a fundamentalist suicide bomb plot and thus entwine the two main plot line of the movie . both work very well and the bombing set piece graphic and chill in it realism and with it denouement reveal in a stylish tarantino type flashback and the torture scenes on an innocent man also unflinchingly portray in all their gory detail . the film score tell point about the use of torture a a credible mean of intelligence gathering in the war against terrorist and against the unpoliced faceless bureaucracy ( here personify by a suitable cold steel meryl streep and a the cia bos who casually give the order for rendition ) which can ruin innocent life . never mind kafka fiction and think more the recent killing of the innocent brazilian in london in 2005 and with the head of the metropolitan police still in his job and no one try for the poor man murder . the acting be excellent throughout the two key role of the innocent man and terrorist bomber be realistically and tellingly play by the unfamiliar actor omar metwally and moa khouas . similarly yigal naor a the intimidate chief of police and zineb ouhach a his idealistic lovelorn daughter ring true with their performance and their lack of familiarity ( at least to me ) add to their character credibility . of the big hollywood name present and gyllenhaal stature grow with succeed film and here play the initially detach but later conscience stricken and anguished government man who do the right thing in the end . witherspoon play her distraught wife part mainly in one key but be believable all the same and while david fabrizio and alan arkin convincingly show up self serving senator and their lackey who will only go so far to help you until their career prospect be jeopardise . there be a few weakness plot wise while there little dramatic need to create the suspense surround el ibrahimi escape and streep character be perhaps too obvious a bogey man or woman . bad of all be the meaningless inclusion of gyllenhaal on the spot girlfriend and around merely for decoration and a brief gratuitous love scene . on the whole though and an engross thought provoke cinematic experience .