an arab american man be kidnap from an american airport and fly to somewhere in north africa where he be torture . the reason . his cell phone receive a call from a known terrorist . the cia decide to avoid legal mean to determine whether the phone call be implication of guilt or just a mistake . after watch this movie we can only but pray some terrorist doesn not accidentally punch in a wrong number . in addition to the rendition there be several related side story . one involve the daughter of the chief of intel ( secret police . ) who be torture the suspect and and her involvement with her lover who happen to be in night school for suicide bomber . this story be way too contrived and but nevertheless intriguing and especially when we see it outcome . the director use a neat time line switcheroo to hook the audience . the second side story be the attempt by the suspect wife to find out what happen to her miss husband . she get an old lover to help . he ( a mute saarsgard ) be aide de camp to a senator ( alda ) and soon get cold foot when he realize that his job isn not worth uncover the truth . witherspoon be waste in this role . all she get to do be look forlorn and pregnant and with one brief rage attack . streep be good and cold and stereotypical a the govt . ( cia . nsa . homeland sec . ) official who seem to be a cheney clone . gylenhall also be waste a a minor analyst push into in area he over his head in and although he get to do the right thing in the end . i find the movie engrossing and if somewhat languorous and but think it add little to the subject . it be certainly not to be view a definitive and and it certainly have an axe to grind . like the kingdom it scratch the surface of a very complicate subject . the movie try hard to give u an idea about rendition and but can only end up by be a cautionary tale about one botch one . the whole point of rendition be not to torture but to get terror suspect to give intel by avoid legal ( therefore obstructive ) barrier . torture and for sure and may be employ and especially if the rendition be out of our hand although we be obviously not guiltless in this matter but intel that can save life be vital in this shadow war .