Body of Lies is a 2008 American spy action thriller film directed and produced by Ridley Scott, written by William Monahan, and starring Leonardo DiCaprio , Russell Crowe and Golshifteh Farahani in the lead roles. Set in the Middle East, it follows the attempts of the CIA and the GID of Jordan to catch "al-Saleem", a terrorist. Frustrated by their target's elusiveness, differences in their approaches strain relations between a CIA operative, his superior, and the head of Jordanian Intelligence. The supporting cast features Mark Strong, Oscar Isaac, and Golshifteh Farahani.
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. Principal photography for the film began on September 5, 2007 and concluded in December 2007. 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.
Critics praised Scott's direction and visual style, as well as the performances of its two leads, 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 film was released in the United States on October 10, 2008 and grossed $118 million worldwide.
Plot
Specialist anti-terrorist teams prepare to raid a house in Manchester, England. As members of the team enter, the terrorists in the house hear them. One of the terrorists presses a button on his cell phone, and suddenly there is an explosion, destroying the house.
Central Intelligence Agency case officer Roger Ferris is tracking a high-ranking terrorist leader called Al-Saleem in Iraq. He meets Nizar, a member of the terrorist organization who is prepared to offer information in return for asylum in North America.
Despite the objections of his boss, Ed Hoffman, Ferris agrees to shelter Nizar. 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 him exposing the identities of Ferris and his associate, Bassam. Furious at Hoffman's refusal to act on the information Nizar provided about a safe house in Balad, Iraq, Ferris and Bassam go to search the safe house. Ferris observes men burning documents and DVDs. He attempts to bluff his way in but is exposed. In the ensuing shootout and chase, Ferris and Bassam's vehicle is hit by an RPG. Ferris, with discs he salvaged from the fire at the safe house, is rescued by helicopter, but Bassam is killed in the explosion.
From the salvaged DVDs, Ferris learns, and tells Hoffman, that unknown terrorists in the UK plan to follow the bus bombings in Sheffield with more attacks, but apparently blew themselves up when they were discovered in Manchester. From other intelligence Ferris harvested from the Balad safe house, Hoffman locates an Al-Saleem safe house in Jordan and orders Ferris to watch it. There, Ferris arranges to meet and negotiates a collaboration with Hani Salaam, head of the Jordanian General Intelligence Directorate.
Ferris and his CIA subordinate, Skip, undertake surveillance of the safe house along with Jordanian agents. Skip identifies a local asset on the scene whom he does not expect to see, Ziyad Abishi, and who prematurely establishes contact with one of the safe house terrorists and blows his cover. The terrorist flees to inform his colleagues and Ferris chases and kills him in a place and manner that implies the death is a random robbery.
While at a hospital to receive rabies shots for dog bites he suffered while killing the terrorist, Ferris meets a nurse named Aisha who, like Ferris, also speaks English and Arabic, and who, like Ferris, is highly attractive.
Ferris lambastes Hoffman for running a side operation which he feels is interfering with and undermining the operational integrity of the primary operation, and tells Hoffman to stop. Ferris meets with Salaam, who has already had his agents confirm that those who remain at the safe house believe the terrorist whom Ferris eliminated was killed in a random robbery, and who has already spoken with Hoffman and told him the same thing Ferris did. Salaam has Ferris observe what Ferris thinks is torture, but which Salaam informs him is punishment mandated by "the King's espionage laws," and asks Ferris to tell Hoffman what he has seen.
In Europe terrorist bombers strike again at an Amsterdam flower market, killing 75 people and wounding hundreds more.