Syriana
Seen it?2005 | 128 min | Drama, Thriller
Sunday Safe BetWhy it’s a Sunday Safe Bet
It won an Oscar and it earned strong reviews (73% on Rotten Tomatoes), though it had a lukewarm 6.4 out of 10 from audiences. A safe bet when you want something reliable.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for anyone who likes to be kept guessing. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
- The mood
- Tense.
- The pace
- Takes its time with its characters, at 2 hr 8 min.
- What might put you off
- Rated R: meant for adults.
- Audiences were cooler on it than critics.
- It picked up 1 Razzie, the "worst of the year" awards.
The Middle Eastern oil industry is the backdrop of this tense drama, which weaves together numerous story lines. Bennett Holiday is an American lawyer in charge of facilitating a dubious merger of oil companies, while Bryan Woodman, a Switzerland-based energy analyst, experiences both personal tragedy and opportunity during a visit with Arabian royalty. Meanwhile, veteran CIA agent Bob Barnes uncovers an assassination plot with unsettling origins.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsStrong
73% on Rotten Tomatoes, 76 on Metacritic
- AudiencesBelow par
6.4 out of 10
- AwardsVery strong
Won 1 Oscar: Academy Awards: Best Supporting Actor. Won 1 Golden Globe: Golden Globe Awards: Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture. Also nominated for 1 more Oscar, 1 more Golden Globe and 1 SAG Award. Plus 8 other awards.. Plus: "Won" 1 Razzie, the "worst of the year" awards.
- Box office & staying powerSolid
$94 million worldwide on a $50 million budget; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactStrong
About 275K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
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Cast & crew
Directed by Stephen Gaghan
- George ClooneyBob Barnes
- Matt DamonBryan Woodman
- Jeffrey WrightBennett Holiday
- Chris CooperJimmy Pope
- Amanda PeetJulie Woodman
- William HurtStan
- Christopher PlummerDean Whiting
- Alexander SiddigPrince Nasir Al-Subaai
- Kayvan NovakArash
- Amr WakedMohammed Sheik Agiza