Syriana

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.

Director: Stephen Gaghan

Cast: George Clooney, Matt Damon, Jeffrey Wright, Chris Cooper, Amanda Peet, William Hurt, Christopher Plummer, Alexander Siddig

Audience-only score — full critic data not yet in the ReelXO vault.