Skip to: Content
Skip to: Site Navigation
Skip to: Search

July 24, 2008 8:57:34 AM CDT



Rendition Torture to Sit Through

Posted Oct 19, 07 2:17 PM CDT in Gossip Arts & Living 

(Newser)Rendition, the story of an American woman's search for her arrested Egyptian-born husband, is a well-meaning but ultimately shallow exploration of America's policies on torture, critics say. "Rendition tackles the concern in a heavy-handed thriller with simplistic characters and manipulative storylines," says the Hollywood Reporter.

The would-be thriller, which features Reese Witherspoon, Jake Gyllenhaal, Meryl Streep, and Alan Arkin, "manages to take an urgent, important topic and turn it into standard Hollywood melodrama" writes Newsweek's David Ansen, adding, "What a waste." Although some critics praise the film's powerhouse performances and bold subject matter, most agree Rendition "has the depth of a bumper sticker," as the New York Post puts it, "without the brevity."

Sources Metacritic, Hollywood Reporter, Newsweek, New York Post

0 comments | Print E-mail | Digg Seed this on Newsvine Add this link to Del.icio.us StumbleUpon
Premiere of New Line Cinema's "Rendition" - Afterparty   (Getty Images)
Actress Reese Witherspoon poses during an interview about her new film, "Rendition," at the Toronto International Film Festival in Toronto, Friday, Sept. 7, 2007. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)   (Associated Press)
Actor Jake Gyllenhaal arrives to the premiere of "Rendition" in Beverly Hills, Calif., Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2007. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)   (Associated Press)
Actress Meryl Streep arrives to the premiere of "Rendition" in Beverly Hills, Calif., Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2007. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)   (Associated Press)
Reese Witherspoon hunts for the truth about her missing husband in "Rendition."   (© New Line Cinema)
« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
Our editors also recommend:

Threads (1 of 3)



Loading...

Loading...

Today's Most Popular


Other Arts & Living Stories

What is Newser?

2008 Codie Finalist

Newser gives you more news in less time. We search for the best and most important stories all over the web, read them for you, and deliver concise and sharp summaries—along with links to the full text. Newser provides a way to stay on top of an ever-expanding horizon of news and opinion—politics, sports, business, trends, technology, personalities, crimes, and controversies. Newser keeps you not just better informed, but, with our signature graphic interface and smart condensed format, more enjoyably informed.

Learn more »