Good Movie

I have never been a Leonardo da Caprio fan - he just seemed to be a bratty little boy that squealed a lot - but I have to confess, my steadfast and immovable opinion of him is changing. It started with Blood Diamonds.

Imitating a South African accent without sounding really stupid is a feat very few actors have accomplished - even Denzyl Washington couldn't manage it. In fact, if I think about it, I really can't think of any actor who has pulled it off. I remember watching one of the Lethal Weapon movies with the SA baddies in it - when they spoke, the whole audience erupted in laughter - it was such a bad attempt... But ol' Leo got the accent down REALLY close. Richard and I looked at each other in amazement. The other great thing is the character - he's real and self serving - the true nature of man and he plays the part with gritty conviction. Even his "turn-around" - the process of him opening himself up to more than just looking out for himself is convincing - it's not the Hollywood unrealistic "I've seen the light even if it is just for the end of this movie" and usually that kind of momentary conversion just doesn't ring true.

So, when I got a movie for Richard yesterday, I noticed he was in it and thought, well, the last one wasn't so bad, may as well try this one.

The movie was called Body of Lies and the language is not for the faint hearted. The story is brilliant. Leo's character is once again a realistic portrayal of a man working in Iraq. He knows and understands the culture and is one of those poor abused men in the ranks - "working on the ground". He sees everything that his boss conveniently doesn't and he gets to do all his dirty work. It reminded me a little of the movie Reese Witherspoon and Jake Gyllenhaal acted in about the wive of a muslim who is falsely arrested and detained and tortured because he had a cell phone call with a man whose name was the same as a known terrorist. That movie dealt with the futility of torture, proving that a man will say anything if he is tortured. That's a really simplified summary, by the way. Body of Lies is pretty much about the Americans going into Iraq where they don't know or understand the culture and what they're dealing with. (Remember Black Hawk Down?) It touched on the efficacy of the Jordanian police or special forces. It's written by David Ignatius. He's been a journalist in the middle east for 30 years. He met with a top CIA official and asked him who was making a difference in the war on terrorism, the guy immediately said the Jordanians and he was told some stories which started him on Body of Lies.

The movie is by Ridley Scott, who I really enjoy.

So, between the movie and the normal Saturday run around, Emma's ear drum burst and she's rolling around in agony, Rachel has acclimitised to the bed (but won't sleep there in the day time) and I'm preparing a little get together to celebrate the exhibition and prize giving on 20th March. I'm thinking of having a Mexican theme for some or other unknown reason.