There, Ferris meets with and negotiates a collaboration with Hani Salaam ( Mark Strong), head of the Jordanian General Intelligence Directorate. Having recovered from his injuries, Ferris is assigned to Jordan to continue searching for Al-Saleem. Meanwhile, unknown terrorists in the UK plan to follow up on bus bombings in Sheffield with more attacks in Manchester, but they blow themselves up when the police arrive at their house. Ferris and some salvaged discs are rescued by helicopter, but Bassam is killed in the explosion. In the ensuing shootout and chase, Ferris and Bassam's vehicle is hit by an RPG. Ferris observes men burning records and attempts to bluff his way in but is exposed. However, furious at Hoffman's refusal to act on the information Nizar provided, Ferris and Bassam go to search the safe house in Balad, Iraq, Nizar had told them about. Nizar is used as a pawn to draw out the rest of his cell when Nizar is captured, Ferris is forced to shoot him to prevent his exposing the identities of Ferris and his associate, Bassam ( Oscar Isaac). He meets Nizar, a member of the terrorist organization who is prepared to offer information in return for asylum in North America.ĭespite the objections of his boss, Ed Hoffman ( Russell Crowe), Ferris agrees to shelter Nizar. Roger Ferris ( Leonardo DiCaprio) is a CIA case officer in Iraq, tracking a terrorist called Al-Saleem ( Alon Abutbul). The film was released in the United States on Octoand grossed $118 million worldwide. The film was shot largely on location in the United States and Morocco, after authorities in Dubai refused permission to film there because of the script's political themes.Ĭritics praised Scott's direction and visual style, but criticized his formulaic handling of the story and use of conventions from the spy genre, such as surveillance shots from high-altitude spy planes. The screenplay, based on the 2007 novel of the same name by David Ignatius, examines contemporary tension between Western and Arab societies, and the comparative effectiveness of technological and human counter-intelligence methods.
The supporting cast features Oscar Isaac and Golshifteh Farahani as the film's leading lady. Frustrated by their target's elusiveness, differences in their approaches strain relations between a CIA operative, his superior, and the head of Jordanian Intelligence.
Set in the Middle East, it follows the attempts of the CIA and Jordanian Intelligence to catch "al-Saleem", a terrorist. Body of Lies is a 2008 American spy thriller film directed and produced by Ridley Scott, written by William Monahan, and starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Russell Crowe, and Mark Strong in the lead roles.