'Body of Lies' Movie Review (2 1/2 Stars)

Movie Review by Michael Phillips

Body of Lies Leonardo DiCaprio & Russell Crowe

Russell Crowe is one of the wittiest character actors in movies. People forget this because technically he's a movie star.

For example: Take the way Crowe, who plays a Central Intelligence Agency spymaster in the busy new thriller "Body of Lies," tosses off one of screenwriter William Monahan's nuttier non-sequiturs. Getting off a plane in Amman, Jordan, Crowe -- who gained 50 pounds for the role -- is asked by his weary, wary man in the Middle East, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, about the flight. "It was fine, it was fine," he says. Then, inscrutably, he adds: "I watched that 'Poseidon.'"

You appreciate such details. (Elsewhere Crowe's Ed Hoffman begins a Nixonian smoke screen of an explanation with: "Let me say this about that ...") Monahan won an Oscar for his richly brocaded cat-and-mouse games and royally profane invective in "The Departed." His dialogue has the virtue of simply being fun to deliver, although in "Body of Lies" the mood is more grim, and the story is vexingly Byzantine.

Monahan adapts the novel by Washington Post writer David Ignatius. The film is the latest collaboration between Crowe and director Ridley Scott. It begins with a botched but deadly terrorist bombing in Manchester, England, and zips around the globe from there, sticking mostly to the Middle East. Crowe's Hoffman spends much of the film on the phone doing mundane domestic activities (watching his kid's soccer match, hanging out at home) while chatting up DiCaprio's Roger Ferris, setting up the next deadly game of deception designed to entrap an Osama bin Laden-style terrorist.

The most interesting thing about this slick but frustrating picture is the way it puts Crowe's Hoffman at the center of our mixed feelings. The man is good at his job, pleasantly ruthless about it and completely unflappable. The head of Jordanian intelligence, played by a sleek, cold Mark Strong, brings similar strengths to his line of work. Ferris, by contrast, is tortured, shot at and morally clouded -- he doesn't like the collateral damage his latest assignment is racking up, and he never knows if he's about to be hung out to dry by his employers.

Director Scott knows how to wrestle complicated story lines involving many geographical hot spots, and he certainly enjoys the high-tech toys and surveillance equipment of modern warfare. Over and over we're shown what Ferris is up to from high above, as he deals and double-deals shadowy terrorists, or canoodles with his Iranian-Jordanian nurse friend, played by Golshifteh Farahani. Satellites circling the globe transmit digital images from thousands of miles away, while fake identities are created and disseminated on a laptop someplace else, and Hoffman plots America's next move.

An awful lot happens in "Body of Lies," Why does it leave you feeling a little lost? Partly it's a matter of narrative confusion. (I can only speak for myself. I'm sorry, what were we talking about?) And partly it's because two or three different sorts of pictures are jockeying for dominance within this one. The high-tech visuals are designed to entice an audience not interested in geopolitics or moral issues. On another track, DiCaprio's romance with Farahani, replacing the novel's more conventional triangle involving the spy's wife back home and an Anglo abroad, plays like second-shelf Graham Greene.

DiCaprio's solid, though I wonder if a real CIA agent could get away with looking so earnest every second. Crowe has the right idea, in addition to all the fun: Just throw it away, throw it away and pretty soon you build yourself a clever characterization by indirection. Crowe's not the one who has to unload what little political sermonizing "Body of Lies" allows itself. It's DiCaprio who must ultimately decry "the unnecessary travesty of this war," even though Scott's film does everything in its cinematic power to ignore that statement, whipping up fear and loathing and another round of digitally enhanced bombings at every nervous turn.

"Body of Lies" Trailer

 

 

About the Movie "Body of Lies"

MPAA rating: R (for strong violence, including some torture, and language throughout).

Running time: 2:08.

Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio (Roger Ferris); Russell Crowe (Ed Hoffman); Mark Strong (Hani); Golshifteh Farahani (Aisha); Oscar Isaac (Bassam); Simon McBurney (Garland).

Directed by Ridley Scott; written by William Monahan, based on the novel by David Ignatius; photographed by Alexander Witt; edited by Pietro Scalia; production design by Arthur Max; music by Marc Streitenfeld; produced by Scott and Donald DeLine. A Warner Bros. Pictures release.

Roger Ferris (Leonardo DiCaprio) is the best man U.S. Intelligence has on the ground, in places where human life is worth no more than the information it can get you. In operations that take him around the globe, Ferris' next breath often depends on the voice at the other end of a secure phone line-CIA veteran Ed Hoffman (Russell Crowe). Strategizing from a laptop in the suburbs, Hoffman is on the trail of an emerging terrorist leader who has orchestrated a campaign of bombings while eluding the most sophisticated intelligence network in the world. To lure the terrorist out into the open, Ferris will have to penetrate his murky world, but the closer Ferris gets to the target, the more he discovers that trust is both a dangerous commodity and the only one that will get him out alive.

"Body of Lies" stars Oscar nominee Leonardo DiCaprio ("Blood Diamond," "The Aviator," "The Departed"), Oscar winner Russell Crowe ("Gladiator," "The Insider"), Mark Strong ("Stardust"), Iranian actress Golshifteh Farahani ("M for Mother"), Oscar Isaac ("The Nativity Story") and Simon McBurney ("The Golden Compass").

The film is directed by three-time Academy Award nominee Ridley Scott ("Black Hawk Down," "Gladiator," "Thelma & Louise") from a screenplay by Oscar winner William Monahan ("The Departed") based on the novel by Washington Post columnist David Ignatius. Donald De Line ("The Italian Job") and Ridley Scott are the producers, with Michael Costigan ("American Gangster," "Brokeback Mountain") and Charles J.D. Schlissel ("The Prestige") serving as executive producers.

The behind-the-scenes creative team is led by cinematographer Alexander Witt ("American Gangster"), Oscar-nominated production designer Arthur Max ("American Gangster," "Gladiator") Oscar-winning editor Pietro Scalia ("Black Hawk Down"), and Oscar-winning costume designer Janty Yates ("Gladiator"). Marc Streitenfeld ("Kingdom of Heaven") composed the score.

Warner Bros. Pictures presents a Scott Free/De Line Pictures Production, a Ridley Scott film. "Body of Lies" will be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company. The film has been rated "R" by the MPAA for "strong violence, including some torture, and language throughout."

About the Cast "Body of Lies"

LEONARDO DICAPRIO (Roger Ferris)

LEONARDO DICAPRIO (Roger Ferris) is an award-winning actor and a three-time Academy Award nominee. He earned his most recent Oscar nod in 2007 for his performance in Edward Zwick's drama "Blood Diamond," also receiving Golden Globe, Critics' Choice and Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Award nominations for his work in the film. That same year, DiCaprio garnered Golden Globe, BAFTA Award, Critics' Choice Award and SAG Award nominations for his role in the Oscar-winning Best Picture "The Departed," which marked his third collaboration with director Martin Scorsese. He also shared in a SAG Award nomination for Outstanding Cast Performance with his castmates from "The Departed."

He previously earned an Academy Award nomination for his performance in Scorsese's acclaimed 2004 biopic "The Aviator." DiCaprio's portrayal of Howard Hughes in that film also brought him a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Drama, as well as Critics' Choice Award and BAFTA Award nominations. In addition, he was honored with two SAG Award nominations, one for Best Actor and another for Outstanding Cast Performance as part of the "The Aviator" cast. In 2004, DiCaprio was named the Actor of the Year at the Hollywood Film Festival.

DiCaprio has a wide range of films upcoming, including "Revolutionary Road," in which he stars with Kate Winslet under the direction of Sam Mendes; and the mystery thriller "Ashcliffe," which reunites him again with director Martin Scorsese.

Born in Hollywood, California, DiCaprio started acting at the age of 14. His breakthrough feature film role came when director Michael Caton-Jones cast him as Tobias Wolff in the 1993 screen adaptation of Wolff's autobiographical drama "This Boy's Life," in which DiCaprio starred with Robert De Niro and Ellen Barkin. That same year, DiCaprio co-starred with Johnny Depp in Lasse Hallström's "What's Eating Gilbert Grape," earning his first Oscar and Golden Globe nominations for his performance as a mentally handicapped young man. In addition, he won the National Board of Review Award for Best Supporting Actor and the Los Angeles Film Critics Association's New Generation Award for his work in the film.

In 1995, DiCaprio had starring roles in three very different films, beginning with Sam Raimi's Western "The Quick and the Dead," with Sharon Stone, Gene Hackman and Russell Crowe. He also garnered praise for his performance as drug addict Jim Carroll in the harrowing drama "The Basketball Diaries," and for his portrayal of disturbed pansexual poet Arthur Rimbaud in Agnieszka Holland's "Total Eclipse." The following year, DiCaprio starred in Baz Luhrmann's contemporary screen adaptation of "William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet," for which he won the Best Actor Award at the Berlin International Film Festival. In addition, he joined an all-star ensemble cast in "Marvin's Room," sharing in a SAG Award nomination for Outstanding Cast Performance with his fellow cast members, including Meryl Streep, Diane Keaton and Robert De Niro.

In 1997, DiCaprio starred in the blockbuster "Titanic," for which he earned a Golden Globe Award nomination. The film shattered every box office record on its way to winning 11 Oscars, including Best Picture, and remains the top-grossing film of all time. His subsequent film work includes dual roles in "The Man in the Iron Mask"; "The Beach"; Woody Allen's "Celebrity"; Steven Spielberg's "Catch Me If You Can," for which he earned another Golden Globe nomination; and "Gangs of New York," which was his first film for director Martin Scorsese.

Apart from his acting career, DiCaprio is well known for his dedication to helping the environment on a global level. He recently wrote, produced and narrated the acclaimed environmentally themed documentary "The 11th Hour."

RUSSELL CROWE (Ed Hoffman)

RUSSELL CROWE (Ed Hoffman) is one of the most honored actors of our time. In 2001, he won an Academy Award for Best Actor for his work in the Oscar-winning Best Picture "Gladiator," which marked his first collaboration with Ridley Scott. His performance as Maximus, the Roman general-turned-gladiator, also brought Crowe Golden Globe, BAFTA Award and Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Award nominations. Additionally, he received Best Actor honors from several critics organizations, including the Broadcast Film Critics and London Film Critics Circle.

Crowe's Oscar win for "Gladiator" was one of three consecutive Academy Award nominations for Best Actor. The year before, he earned his first Oscar nod for his role in Michael Mann's "The Insider." For his portrayal of tobacco company whistle-blower Dr. Jeffrey Wigand, Crowe also won Best Actor Awards from the Los Angeles Film Critics, Broadcast Film Critics, National Society of Film Critics and the National Board of Review, and garnered Golden Globe, BAFTA Award and SAG Award nominations.

Crowe received his third Oscar nomination in 2002 for his portrayal of troubled Nobel Prize winner John Forbes Nash, Jr. in the Best Picture Oscar winner "A Beautiful Mind," directed by Ron Howard. He also won a Golden Globe, a BAFTA Award, a SAG Award, and his third consecutive Critics' Choice Award from the Broadcast Film Critics for his work in the film. He later reunited with Howard to play unlikely boxing champion James J. Braddock in the inspiring Depression-era drama "Cinderella Man," for which Crowe gained Golden Globe and SAG Award nominations and won an Australian Film Institute Award. In addition, Crowe earned a Golden Globe nomination for his performance as Captain Jack Aubrey in Peter Weir's "Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World."

He more recently re-teamed with director Ridley Scott to star in the crime drama "American Gangster," opposite Denzel Washington, and in "A Good Year," with Albert Finney. Crowe also starred in the James Mangold-directed Western "3:10 to Yuma," alongside Christian Bale.

Crowe has a wide range of films upcoming, including Kevin Macdonald's "State of Play," in which he joins an ensemble cast, including Helen Mirren and Ben Affleck; and "Nottingham," a different perspective of the Robin Hood legend, which will be his fifth outing with director Ridley Scott.

Born in New Zealand, Crowe was raised in Australia, where he was first recognized for his work on the screen. He was honored for three consecutive years by the Australian Film Institute (AFI), beginning in 1991 when he was nominated for Best Actor in a Lead Role for "The Crossing." The following year, he won the AFI's Best Supporting Actor Award for "Proof," and in 1992 he received Best Actor Awards from both the AFI and the Australian Film Critics Circle for his performance in the controversial feature "Romper Stomper," which brought him international attention.

Crowe made his American film debut in Sam Raimi's 1995 Western "The Quick and the Dead," in which he co-starred with Gene Hackman, Sharon Stone and Leonardo DiCaprio. He went on to receive widespread acclaim for his performance as vice cop Bud White in Curtis Hanson's award-winning crime drama "L.A. Confidential." His additional film credits include "Proof of Life," "Mystery, Alaska," "Virtuosity," "Heaven's Burning," "Breaking Up," "Rough Magic," "The Sum of Us," "For the Moment," "Love in Limbo," "The Silver Brumby," "The Efficiency Expert" and "Prisoners of the Sun."

MARK STRONG (Hani)

MARK STRONG (Hani) most recently starred in two films that screened at the 2008 Toronto International Film Festival: Guy Ritchie's "RocknRolla," with an ensemble cast that also includes Gerard Butler, Tom Wilkinson and Thandie Newton; and "Good," a drama set in Germany during the rise of the Nazi party, in which he stars with Viggo Mortensen. Both films are set to open later this fall. His upcoming films also include "The Young Victoria," opposite Emily Blunt; and Pete Travis' Apartheid drama, "Endgame." He will next reunite with director Guy Ritchie to play the villain in "Sherlock Holmes," starring Robert Downey Jr. as the famed detective. Strong then teams with director Matthew Vaughn to star in the action comedy "Kick-Ass," based on Mark Millar's popular comic book.

Strong's previous film credits include "Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day"; Matthew Vaughn's fantasy feature "Stardust"; Danny Boyle's sci-fi thriller "Sunshine"; Kevin Reynolds' "Tristan & Isolde"; Stephen Gaghan's "Syriana"; Roman Polanski's "Oliver Twist"; Guy Ritchie's "Revolver"; "It's All About Love"; "Heartlands"; the British film "Fever Pitch"; and "Captives."

Born in London, Strong first pursued a law degree in Germany before returning home to study English and Drama at Royal Holloway, University of London. He then attended the Bristol Old Vic, which led to an eight-year apprenticeship on the English stage. Dividing his early years between the theatre and television, his first big break came when he won the role of Tosker Cox in the 1994 BBC2 miniseries "Our Friends in the North."

Strong has since become a familiar face on British television, earning a BAFTA TV Award nomination for Best Actor for his role in the 2004 BBC2 telefilm "The Long Firm." He also appeared as then-Inspector Larry Hall in ITV's "Prime Suspect 3" in 1993 and, ten years later, reprised the role of Detective Chief Superintendent Larry Hall in "Prime Suspect 6." His many additional television credits include "Sharpe's Mission"; ITV's presentation of Jane Austen's "Emma"; the BBC telefilms "Trust" and "Fields of Gold"; Channel 4's "Falling Apart"; the PBS miniseries "Anna Karenina"; "Low Winter Sun"; and the Pete Travis-directed projects "The Jury" and "Henry VIII."

An accomplished stage actor, Strong has appeared in London's West End in such plays as Arthur Miller's "Death of a Salesman"; the debut of Patrick Marber's "Closer"; Kevin Spacey's production of Eugene O'Neill's "The Iceman Cometh"; David Mamet's "Speed-the-Plow"; and the Sam Mendes-directed productions of Chekhov's "Uncle Vanya" and Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night," earning an Olivier nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in the latter. His stage work also includes "The Treatment" and "The Thickness of Skin" at the Royal Court Theatre; the Royal National Theatre productions of "Richard III," "King Lear," "Napoli Millionara," "Fuente Ovejuna," "Murmuring Judges," and "Johnny on the Spot"; and numerous repertory theatre productions.

GOLSHIFTEH FARAHANI (Aisha)

GOLSHIFTEH FARAHANI (Aisha) is one of Iran's most celebrated actresses, whose body of work in the past decade has earned her several prestigious international film awards. "Body of Lies" marks her American feature film debut.

Daughter of the actor and theatre director Behzad Farahani and sister of noted actress Shaghayegh Farahani, the Tehran native began studying music and piano as a child. She was supposed to continue her education at the Vienna Conservatory in Austria but decided to pursue her acting career instead.

Introduced to Iranian theatre audiences at the age of six, Farahani made her film debut at fourteen in Dariush Mehrjui's "The Pear Tree," for which she won the Crystal Simorgh Prize as Best Actress from the International Section of the 16th Fajr Film Festival in Tehran. She has since earned two additional nominations for the Crystal Simorgh: for her work in Azizallah Hamidnejad's "The Tear of the Cold" and Hamid Nematollah's "Boutique." In addition, she was honored at the 2nd Kazan Film Festival for her work in "The Tear of the Cold," and won the Best Actress Prize at the 26th Festival of Three Continents, in Nantes, France, for her role in "Boutique."

Farahani's more recent film credits include Bahman Ghobadi's "Half Moon," winner of the Golden Seashell at the 2006 San Sebastian Film Festival; Dariush Mehrjui's controversial "Santoori"; and the late Rasool Mollagholi Poor's "M for Mother," Iran's official entry for Best Foreign Language Film at the 2008 Academy Awards. Her other film credits include "Haft Parde," "Deux Anges," "The Fish Fall in Love," "Bab'Aziz - The Prince Who Contemplated His Soul" and "The Wall."

OSCAR ISAAC (Bassam)

OSCAR ISAAC (Bassam) was most recently seen in Steven Soderbergh's biopic "Che," starring Benicio del Toro as Che Guevera. The film premiered at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival and also screened at the 2008 Toronto Film Festival. Isaac's upcoming films include the Australian thriller "Balibo," in which he stars as the Nobel Peace Prize-winning revolutionary leader Jose Ramos-Horta; and "Agora," in which he stars opposite Rachel Weisz under the direction of Alejandro Amenabar.

Isaac previously starred opposite Paddy Considine and Radha Mitchell in Scott Z. Burns' "Pu-239," which premiered at the 2006 Toronto Film Festival and debuted on HBO in 2007. He went on to earn praise for his portrayal of Joseph in "The Nativity Story." The first film to premiere at the Vatican, the Christmas drama was directed by Catherine Hardwicke and co-starred Keisha Castle-Hughes and Shohreh Aghdashloo. Isaac was also seen in Vadim Perelman's thriller "The Life Before Her Eyes," with Uma Thurman and Evan Rachel Wood. On television, he has guest starred on the NBC series "Law and Order: Criminal Intent."

A Juilliard-trained actor, Isaac garnered rave reviews in New York for his work in two Public Theater Shakespeare in the Park productions: "Romeo and Juliet," as Romeo opposite Lauren Ambrose, under the direction of Michael Grief; and in the musical revival of "Two Gentlemen of Verona," adapted by John Guare and Mel Shapiro. At Manhattan Theatre Club, Isaac starred in "Beauty of the Father" by Pulitzer Prizewinning playwright Nilo Cruz, also directed by Grief. Isaac was last seen off-Broadway in the 2008 American premiere of Mick Gordon and A.C. Graylings' "Grace," directed by Joseph Hardy and starring Lynn Redgrave.

In 2004, Isaac was a recipient of the prestigious Princess Grace Award, annually awarded to outstanding artists in the disciplines of theater, dance and film by the Princess Grace Foundation-USA.

Isaac currently resides in New York, where he also writes and performs music with his band.

SIMON McBURNEY (Garland)

SIMON McBURNEY (Garland) can currently be seen in the historical drama "The Duchess," starring Keira Knightley and Ralph Fiennes. His upcoming films include "Boogie Woogie" and Beeban Kidron's 1960s-set "Hippie Hippie Shake." Among his additional film acting credits are "The Golden Compass"; "The Last King of Scotland," with Forest Whitaker; Nicole Holofcener's "Friends With Money"; Jonathan Demme's "The Manchurian Candidate"; "Human Touch"; "The Reckoning"; Stephen Fry's "Bright Young Things"; "Skagerrak"; "Eisenstein," in the title role of revolutionary Russian filmmaker Sergei Eisenstein; "Onegin"; "Cousin Bette," with Jessica Lange; the biographical drama "Tom and Viv"; "Mesmer," directed by Roger Spottiswoode; "Being Human," with Robin Williams; and Steven Soderbergh's "Kafka." In addition, he wrote the story and served as executive producer on the comedy hit "Mr. Bean's Holiday."

In addition to his work in film, McBurney is an internationally renowned theatre artist. Co-founder and Artistic Director of the London-based theatre company Complicite, he has devised, directed, and acted in more than 30 productions and has toured worldwide, winning numerous major international awards. He is the recipient of the 2008 Olivier, Evening Standard and Critics' Circle Theatre Awards for Best Play for "A Disappearing Number," which he directed at the Barbican Theatre in London. His production of "Mnemonic" received numerous awards, including a Time Out Live Award, Drama Desk Award for Unique Theatrical Experience, Lucille Lortel Award, and the Critics' Circle Theatre Award for Best New Play. His additional stage credits include "The Elephant Vanishes" at Lincoln Center, and, more recently, he directed "Measure for Measure" and "A Minute Too Late," both at London's National Theatre.

On Broadway, McBurney directed "The Chairs," for which he received a Tony Award nomination, and "The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui," starring Al Pacino. This fall, he returned to Broadway with his revival of Arthur Miller's "All My Sons," starring John Lithgow, Dianne Wiest, Patrick Wilson and Katie Holmes.

ALON ABOUTBOUL (Al-Saleem)

ALON ABOUTBOUL (Al-Saleem) hails from Israel, where he is recognized as one of his homeland's biggest motion picture stars. He recently starred in such films as "Ha-Asonot Shel Nina" ("Nina's Tragedies"), for which he was named Best Supporting Actor by the Academy of Israeli Film; "Lirkod"; "Beaufort," which won the Silver Bear at the 2007 Berlin Film Festival; and "Rak Klavim Ratzim Hofshi" ("Wild Dogs"), for which he earned his second Academy of Israeli Film nomination.

In addition to his film roles in Israel, Aboutboul has also appeared in such international films as Steven Spielberg's drama "Munich"; "Rambo III"; "Deadly Heroes," directed by Menachen Golan; "The Order," alongside Jean-Claude Van Damme; and Moshe Mizrahi's "Every Time We Say Goodbye," starring Tom Hanks.

Aboutboul grew up mostly in Tel Aviv, where he first pursued his craft at a performing arts high school. Upon graduation, he did a mandatory three-year tour in the army, focused mainly in the service's motion picture division, which proved an invaluable experience for the aspiring actor. After appearing in several small Israeli features in the early 1980s, Aboutboul won acclaim for his role in the documentary-like 1986 war drama "Shtei Etzbaot Mi'Tzidon" ("Ricochets"), which was shot in actual war zones.

Aboutboul's subsequent film credits included "Malkat Hakitah" ("Prom Queen"); "Kol Ahuvatai" ("All My Loving"); "Photo Roman"; "Ehad Mishelanu" ("One of Us"); "Rehovot Ha'Etmol" ("Streets of Yesterday"); "Roked Al Hahef" ("Dual Entity"); "Ha-Yerusha" ("The Heritage"); "Ha-Kochav Hakachol" ("Planet Blue"), which he also produced; the award-winning "Leylasede" ("Passover Fever"); "Ha-Khetzi HaSheni" ("The Second Half"); "Campaign"; "Marco Polo: The Missing Chapter"; "Itha L'Netza" ("Forever and Forever"); "Ahava Mimabat Sheni" ("Love at Second Sight"); and the award-winning "Mars Turkey" ("Clean Sweep"), considered one of Israel's finest film achievements.

For television, he had a recurring role on the series "Ima'lle" and also starred on the series "Shabatot VeHagim." He also directed one episode of the latter.

ALI SULIMAN (Omar Sadiki)

ALI SULIMAN (Omar Sadiki) made his American feature debut in Peter Berg's thriller "The Kingdom," co-starring as a Saudi policeman assisting an FBI investigation of terrorism at an American oil compound.

Previously, Suliman starred in Hany Abu-Assad's acclaimed 2005 feature "Paradise Now." The landmark film collected an Academy Award nomination for Best Foreign Language Film, the only Palestinian movie ever to have earned that distinction. The film also won a Golden Globe, an Independent Spirit Award and numerous other Best Foreign Language Film Awards.

Suliman's additional film credits include "The Syrian Bride," "The Barbeque People," "The Diary of a Male Prostitute," "The Check Point," "The Border" and Elia Suleiman's drama "Chronicle of a Disappearance," which won the Luigi De Laurentiis Award at the 1996 Venice Film Festival. Most recently, he co-starred in "Etz Limon," ("Lemon Tree"), for which he was named Best Actor at the 2008 Anonimal Film Festival in Romania, as well as the short film "The Prince of Venice." For television, Suliman's credits include "The Battle of Jerusalem," "Puzzle" and "Hafuch."

The Israeli native graduated from the Yoram Levinishtain Acting School in Tel Aviv and began his career over a decade ago in the theatre, landing roles in productions of such plays as Tennessee Williams' "The Glass Menagerie," Arthur Miller's "A View from the Bridge," Samuel Beckett's "Waiting for Godot," Oscar Wilde's "Salome" and William Shakespeare's "The Tempest." His extensive stage credits also include critically acclaimed work with the Arabic Hebrew Theater, including "Ach Ach Boom Trach," for which he won the Best Actor Award at the Haifa International Children's Theatre Festival, "Antar," "Missing" and "The Heart's Key."

 

 

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