As a movie this is a solid, dependable thriller with a really solid performance by Jon Hamm, as well as by a range of supporting players who turn in good, taunt performances. The one exception is Rosamund Pike whom is a great actor, but is ill-used. I suspect there were a number of scenes left on the editing floor.This movie will be controversial because of its depictions of Beirut, as well as lack of agency of the Lebanese people. These criticisms are valid, but at the same time it is very hard for Hollywood, let alone a Western director and writer to get the right nuance and tension of the period AND make a successful movie. To the critics, you have a point, but this is a thriller, not a documentary.If you are looking for a modern spy/espionage movie, this should be on your list. Plus I would love to see more Jon Hamm in these types of roles...well done.

I mean, come on, doesn't anyone proof the scripts they're producing anymore? This was so unrealistic it's ridiculous. Jon Hamm - you're above this drivel. What an insulting plate of barf this film was.

Just a bad movie all around. Didn't even make it past 30 minutes

I read a lot of carping here about "This didn't look like Beirut!" "The Arabic accents were all wrong!" and "It wasn't even shot in Beirut". For all I know the criticisms may be right, but who cares? Give me a break. It's a movie, got that? The film did a good job of setting its story in a city that, by 1980, had been been abraded away by automatic weapon fire and RPGs. The actors were all believable, the dialog, while perhaps too plentiful, served the story well. To set a story in a city and country being battled over by Christians, Hezbollah, the Maronites, Israel, Syria, Palestine and the Druse militia, and probably more, requires some explication! Other reviewers are complaining about the film being "propaganda". Propaganda for what? Urban renewal? Safer housing? Gun rights? Mercedes-Benz taxis? Maybe the non-romance between Mason Skyles and Sandy Crowder is a typical cinematic device to engage audiences, but, well, it worked for me. And it isn't really typical, since she outranks him and the romance gets no farther than "Boy, am I glad to see you!" Anyway, It is a thriller regardless of the accuracy of the accents.