Quartile rating: 6.5/10 · 1 rating
In 1980s Beirut, Mason Skiles is a former U.S. diplomat who is called back into service to save a colleague from the group that is possibly responsible for his own family's death. Meanwhile, a CIA field agent who is working under cover at the American embassy is tasked with keeping Mason alive and ensuring that the mission is a success.
Beirut (2018) is a competent but unremarkable geopolitical thriller. The plot, written by Tony Gilroy, is its strongest asset — a layered, morally ambiguous negotiation story set against the Lebanese civil war backdrop. Jon Hamm brings genuine presence and Jon Hamm carries dramatic weight, but supporting performances are thin and the ensemble feels underutilized. Cinematography is workmanlike; the Moroccan locations standing in for Beirut are functional rather than evocative, lacking the atmospheric grit the setting demands. The film covers familiar spy-thriller territory without meaningfully distinguishing itself — the formula of a burned-out operative pulled back in for one last job is well-worn, and the Middle East thriller genre offers stronger entries. The ending resolves competently but without real surprise or emotional payoff, leaving little lasting impression.