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==Production==
==Production==
In May 2015, [[Deadline.com|Deadline]] reported that [[Jon Hamm]] had signed on to star.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Busch|first1=Anita|title=Jon Hamm Joins Tony Gilroy’s ‘High Wire Act’|url=http://deadline.com/2015/05/jon-hamm-tony-gilroy-movie-high-wire-act-1201421558/|date=May 6, 2015|work=[[Deadline.com]]|accessdate=July 29, 2016}}</ref> In July 2015, [[Rosamund Pike]] joined the cast.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Jaafar|first1=Ali|title=Rosamund Pike Joining Jon Hamm In Brad Anderson’s ‘High Wire Act’|url=http://deadline.com/2015/07/rosamund-pike-jon-hamm-beirut-high-wire-act-tony-gilroy-brad-anderson-1201482294/|date=July 20, 2015|work=[[Deadline.com]]|accessdate=July 29, 2016}}</ref> In May 2016, ShivHans Pictures came on board to produce and finance the film. [[Dean Norris]], [[Shea Whigham]], [[Larry Pine]], and [[Mark Pellegrino]] joined the cast.<ref name="financing">{{cite web|last1=Hipes|first1=Patrick|title=Jon Hamm-Rosamund Pike Pic ‘High Wire Act’ Moves Forward With ShivHans Financing & Cast – Cannes|url=http://deadline.com/2016/05/high-wire-act-movie-jon-hamm-rosamund-pike-dean-norris-shivhans-pictures-1201749107/|date=May 4, 2016|work=[[Deadline.com]]|accessdate=July 29, 2016}}</ref> Filming began in [[Tangier]], [[Morocco]] in June 2016.<ref name="financing"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/deanjnorris/status/747506177034985477|title=Playing this guy. Political thriller set in 1982 Beirut.|work=Twitter}}</ref> [[Bleecker Street (company)|Bleecker Street]] acquired the U.S. distribution rights in July 2017.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.bleeckerstreetmedia.com/blog/high-wire-act|title=Bleecker Street Acquires High Wire Act|last=|first=|date=July 27, 2017|website=Bleecker Street|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=July 27, 2017}}</ref> It premiered at the [[2018 Sundance Film Festival]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://variety.com/2017/film/news/sundance-film-festival-2018-lineup-program-1202625522/|title=Sundance Film Festival Unveils Full 2018 Features Lineup|last=Debruge|first=Peter|date=2017-11-29|work=Variety|access-date=2017-11-29|language=en-US}}</ref>
In May 2015, [[Deadline.com|Deadline]] reported that [[Jon Hamm]] had signed on to star.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Busch|first1=Anita|title=Jon Hamm Joins Tony Gilroy’s ‘High Wire Act’|url=http://deadline.com/2015/05/jon-hamm-tony-gilroy-movie-high-wire-act-1201421558/|date=May 6, 2015|work=[[Deadline.com]]|accessdate=July 29, 2016}}</ref> In July 2015, [[Rosamund Pike]] joined the cast.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Jaafar|first1=Ali|title=Rosamund Pike Joining Jon Hamm In Brad Anderson’s ‘High Wire Act’|url=http://deadline.com/2015/07/rosamund-pike-jon-hamm-beirut-high-wire-act-tony-gilroy-brad-anderson-1201482294/|date=July 20, 2015|work=[[Deadline.com]]|accessdate=July 29, 2016}}</ref> In May 2016, ShivHans Pictures came on board to produce and finance the film. [[Dean Norris]], [[Shea Whigham]], [[Larry Pine]], and [[Mark Pellegrino]] joined the cast.<ref name="financing">{{cite web|last1=Hipes|first1=Patrick|title=Jon Hamm-Rosamund Pike Pic ‘High Wire Act’ Moves Forward With ShivHans Financing & Cast – Cannes|url=http://deadline.com/2016/05/high-wire-act-movie-jon-hamm-rosamund-pike-dean-norris-shivhans-pictures-1201749107/|date=May 4, 2016|work=[[Deadline.com]]|accessdate=July 29, 2016}}</ref> Filming began in [[Tangier]], [[Morocco]] in June 2016.<ref name="financing"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/deanjnorris/status/747506177034985477|title=Playing this guy. Political thriller set in 1982 Beirut.|work=Twitter}}</ref> [[Bleecker Street (company)|Bleecker Street]] acquired the U.S. distribution rights in July 2017.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.bleeckerstreetmedia.com/blog/high-wire-act|title=Bleecker Street Acquires High Wire Act|last=|first=|date=July 27, 2017|website=Bleecker Street|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=July 27, 2017}}</ref> It premiered at the [[2018 Sundance Film Festival]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://variety.com/2017/film/news/sundance-film-festival-2018-lineup-program-1202625522/|title=Sundance Film Festival Unveils Full 2018 Features Lineup|last=Debruge|first=Peter|date=2017-11-29|work=Variety|access-date=2017-11-29|language=en-US}}</ref>

== Criticism ==
The film's premise has been criticized for exploiting negative [[Stereotypes of West and Central Asians in the United States#Arabs|stereotypes]] of [[Arabs]] and having a [[White savior narrative in film|white savior narrative]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/the-trailer-for-jon-hamms-new-film-beirut-was-released_us_5a592a5de4b01ccdd48b5c1c|title=The Trailer for Jon Hamm's New Film 'Beirut' Was Released Today and It Looks Like A Stereotypical, Inaccurate Mess.|last=Chahine|first=Walaa|date=2018-01-12|website=Huffington Post|language=en-US|access-date=2018-01-14}}</ref> The film has also been criticized as being [[Whitewashing in film|white-washed]] having no Lebanese cast, with supposed Lebanese roles being portrayed by actors of American, French, Algerian, and Moroccan nationality. The only spoken lines in the film's trailer by intended Lebanese characters use broken English and do not speak with a Lebanese accent. The April 13th release date has been criticized as insensitive and exploitative having been placed on the same day as the [[Bus massacre|Bus Massacre]], the event recognized as the start of the non-fictional [[Lebanese Civil War]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite news|url=https://www.the961.com/beirut-movie/|title=Dear world, don't bother watching the Beirut movie!|date=2018-01-13|work=The961|access-date=2018-01-14|language=en-US}}</ref> The trailer's tagline of ''"2000 years of revenge, vendetta, murder... welcome to Beirut"'' has been criticized as not only a gross misrepresentation of the [[history of Lebanon]], but also specifically confusing regarding the city of [[Beirut]] given its importance as a center for culture and international commerce for the [[List of Mediterranean countries|Mediterranean]] and [[Middle East]] for more than 5000 years. <ref name=":2">{{Cite news|url=https://stateofmind13.com/2018/01/13/hollywoods-upcoming-movie-beirut-checks-off-every-american-stereotype-about-lebanon/|title=Hollywood’s Upcoming Movie “Beirut” Checks Off Every American Stereotype About Lebanon|date=2018-01-13|work=A Separate State of Mind {{!}} A Blog by Elie Fares|access-date=2018-01-14|language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite news|url=https://stepfeed.com/there-s-a-new-film-called-beirut-and-lebanese-are-calling-it-trash-5148|title=There's a new film called 'Beirut' and Lebanese are calling it 'trash'|date=2018-01-13|work=StepFeed|access-date=2018-01-14|language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":4">{{Cite news|url=http://blogbaladi.com/beirut-the-movie-is-coming-out-on-april-13-trailer-doesnt-look-promising/|title=#Beirut The Movie is Coming Out on April 13, Trailer Doesn’t Look Promising|work=Blog Baladi|access-date=2018-01-14|language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":5">{{Cite news|url=https://www.beirut.com/l/54406|title=|work=Beirut.com City Guide|access-date=2018-01-15|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://action.news/newstempch.php?article=/entry/the-trailer-for-jon-hamms-new-film-beirut-was-released_us_5a592a5de4b01ccdd48b5c1c|title=The Trailer for Jon Hamm’s New Film ‘Beirut’ Was Released Today and It Looks Like A Stereotypical, Inaccurate Mess.|last=|first=|date=Jan 12, 2018|website=Action News|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=Jan 12, 2018}}</ref>


==References==
==References==

Revision as of 17:42, 25 January 2018

Beirut
Theatrical release poster
Directed byBrad Anderson
Written byTony Gilroy
StarringJon Hamm
Rosamund Pike
Dean Norris
Shea Whigham
Larry Pine
Mark Pellegrino
CinematographyBjörn Charpentier
Music byJohn Debney
Distributed byBleecker Street (US)
Release dates
  • January 22, 2018 (2018-01-22) (Sundance)
  • April 13, 2018 (2018-04-13) (United States)
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Beirut (formerly titled High Wire Act) is a fictional political thriller film directed by Brad Anderson. Bleecker Street will release the film on April 13, 2018.[1] The film has been criticized for exploiting negative stereotypes of Arabs, misrepresenting Lebanese history, and cast white-washing. [2][3][4][5][6][7][8] The film was shot in Morocco and does not feature any Lebanese actors. [9]

Plot

In 1980s Beirut, Mason Skiles (Jon Hamm), a former U.S. diplomat returns to service to save a colleague from the group responsible for the death of his family.

Cast

Production

In May 2015, Deadline reported that Jon Hamm had signed on to star.[10] In July 2015, Rosamund Pike joined the cast.[11] In May 2016, ShivHans Pictures came on board to produce and finance the film. Dean Norris, Shea Whigham, Larry Pine, and Mark Pellegrino joined the cast.[12] Filming began in Tangier, Morocco in June 2016.[12][13] Bleecker Street acquired the U.S. distribution rights in July 2017.[14] It premiered at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival.[15]

Criticism

The film's premise has been criticized for exploiting negative stereotypes of Arabs and having a white savior narrative.[2] The film has also been criticized as being white-washed having no Lebanese cast, with supposed Lebanese roles being portrayed by actors of American, French, Algerian, and Moroccan nationality. The only spoken lines in the film's trailer by intended Lebanese characters use broken English and do not speak with a Lebanese accent. The April 13th release date has been criticized as insensitive and exploitative having been placed on the same day as the Bus Massacre, the event recognized as the start of the non-fictional Lebanese Civil War.[3] The trailer's tagline of "2000 years of revenge, vendetta, murder... welcome to Beirut" has been criticized as not only a gross misrepresentation of the history of Lebanon, but also specifically confusing regarding the city of Beirut given its importance as a center for culture and international commerce for the Mediterranean and Middle East for more than 5000 years. [4][5][6][7][16]

References

  1. ^ N'Duka, Amanda (2017-10-26). "Bleecker Street Sets Release Dates For 'What They Had', 'Disobedience' & More". Deadline. Retrieved 2017-10-28.
  2. ^ a b Chahine, Walaa (2018-01-12). "The Trailer for Jon Hamm's New Film 'Beirut' Was Released Today and It Looks Like A Stereotypical, Inaccurate Mess". Huffington Post. Retrieved 2018-01-14.
  3. ^ a b "Dear world, don't bother watching the Beirut movie!". The961. 2018-01-13. Retrieved 2018-01-14.
  4. ^ a b "Hollywood's Upcoming Movie "Beirut" Checks Off Every American Stereotype About Lebanon". A Separate State of Mind | A Blog by Elie Fares. 2018-01-13. Retrieved 2018-01-14.
  5. ^ a b "There's a new film called 'Beirut' and Lebanese are calling it 'trash'". StepFeed. 2018-01-13. Retrieved 2018-01-14.
  6. ^ a b "#Beirut The Movie is Coming Out on April 13, Trailer Doesn't Look Promising". Blog Baladi. Retrieved 2018-01-14.
  7. ^ a b Beirut.com City Guide https://www.beirut.com/l/54406. Retrieved 2018-01-15. {{cite news}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  8. ^ "Sundance Review: 'Beirut' is a Xenophobic Thriller Absent of Thrills and Nuance". The Film Stage. 2018-01-24. Retrieved 2018-01-25.
  9. ^ Anderson, Brad (2018-04-13), Beirut, Rosamund Pike, Jon Hamm, Shea Whigham, retrieved 2018-01-14
  10. ^ Busch, Anita (May 6, 2015). "Jon Hamm Joins Tony Gilroy's 'High Wire Act'". Deadline.com. Retrieved July 29, 2016.
  11. ^ Jaafar, Ali (July 20, 2015). "Rosamund Pike Joining Jon Hamm In Brad Anderson's 'High Wire Act'". Deadline.com. Retrieved July 29, 2016.
  12. ^ a b Hipes, Patrick (May 4, 2016). "Jon Hamm-Rosamund Pike Pic 'High Wire Act' Moves Forward With ShivHans Financing & Cast – Cannes". Deadline.com. Retrieved July 29, 2016.
  13. ^ "Playing this guy. Political thriller set in 1982 Beirut". Twitter.
  14. ^ "Bleecker Street Acquires High Wire Act". Bleecker Street. July 27, 2017. Retrieved July 27, 2017. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  15. ^ Debruge, Peter (2017-11-29). "Sundance Film Festival Unveils Full 2018 Features Lineup". Variety. Retrieved 2017-11-29.
  16. ^ "The Trailer for Jon Hamm's New Film 'Beirut' Was Released Today and It Looks Like A Stereotypical, Inaccurate Mess". Action News. Jan 12, 2018. Retrieved Jan 12, 2018. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Beirut_(film)&oldid=822314134"