Green Zone (film)
| Green Zone | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Paul Greengrass |
| Written by | Brian Helgeland Rajiv Chandrasekaran (Book) |
| Produced by | Tim Bevan Eric Fellner Lloyd Levin Paul Greengrass |
| Starring | Matt Damon Greg Kinnear Brendan Gleeson Amy Ryan Khalid Abdalla Jason Isaacs |
| Cinematography | Barry Ackroyd |
| Edited by | Christopher Rouse |
Production companies | |
| Distributed by | Universal Studios |
Release date | March 12, 2010 |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $100 million |
Green Zone is an action thriller war film written by Brian Helgeland and directed by Paul Greengrass. The film is "credited as having been 'inspired' by"[1] the non-fiction 2006 book Imperial Life in the Emerald City by journalist Rajiv Chandrasekaran, which documented life in the Green Zone, Baghdad. The film stars Matt Damon, Amy Ryan, Greg Kinnear, and Brendan Gleeson. Production began in January 2008 in Spain and moved on to Morocco. The film will be globally released on March 12, 2010 with releases available from March 10 in some countries. Released in Australia on 11 March 2010.
Premise
Green Zone is a thriller that takes place in the Green Zone in Iraq during its occupation by the United States.[2]
Cast
- Matt Damon portrays Roy Miller,[3] a warrant officer who helps a senior CIA officer in the search for weapons of mass destruction.[2] Roy Miller is based on real-life Army chief warrant officer Richard (Monty) Gonzales, whose Mobile Exploitation Team was charged with finding the WMDs during the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Damon joined the film with the assurance that production would conclude by April 14, 2008 so he could start working on the Steven Soderbergh film The Informant! on April 15, amidst the scheduling difficulties caused by the 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike.[4]
- Amy Ryan[5] portrays Lawrie Dayne,[3] a foreign correspondent for The Wall Street Journal who investigates the U.S. government's claims of the existence of weapons of mass destruction.[2] One reviewer saw, despite the "usual ... fictitious ... disclaimer," former New York Times reporter Judith Miller in the Dayne character.[1]
- Brendan Gleeson portrays Martin Brown, the CIA Baghdad bureau chief.[6]
- Greg Kinnear portrays Clark Poundstone, Pentagon Special Intelligence.[3][2] One reviewer saw, despite the "usual ... fictitious ... disclaimer, ... Paul Brenner [sic]," Coalition Provisional Authority head in 2003-4, in the Poundstone character.[1]
- Nicoye Banks portrays Perry
- Jason Isaacs portrays Maj. Briggs, an American military officer.[7]
- Martin McDougall portrays Mr. Sheen, CIA Baghdad assistant bureau chief.[8]
- Khalid Abdalla portrays an injured Iraqi who has a "penchant for Bryan Adams". Abdalla was cast in the role after impressing Greengrass with his performance in United 93. The actor prepared for his role by learning the Iraqi Arabic dialect and reading Iraqi blogs like Riverbend and Alive in Baghdad.[9]
- Antoni Corone portrays a colonel.[2]
- Tommy Campbell portrays the Comms Chopper Commander.[10]
- Paul McIntosh portrays a CIA officer[11]
- Yigal Naor portrays a local officer[12]
- Sean Huze portrays US Army Sergeant Conway, a member of Roy Miller's MET team.[13][14]
- Robert Harrison O'Neil portrays a TV Journalist.
Production
In January 2007, after completing The Bourne Ultimatum, director Paul Greengrass announced his intent to adapt a film of the 2006 non-fiction book Imperial Life in the Emerald City by Rajiv Chandrasekaran, a journalist for The Washington Post. Greengrass wrote a script based on the book, working with researchers Kate Solomon and Michael Bronner, who helped the director research for United 93 (2006). The script was reported to be developed more in advance than the script for The Bourne Ultimatum, which had undergone changes during production.[15] Screenwriter Tom Stoppard was originally requested to write the script for Greengrass, but because Stoppard was too busy,[16] screenwriter Brian Helgeland instead collaborated with the director to shape the film's premise.[2] Greengrass expressed interest in casting in the lead actor Matt Damon, with whom he had worked on The Bourne Supremacy and The Bourne Ultimatum,[17] and the actor joined the project in June 2007.[18] Actors Amy Ryan, Greg Kinnear, and Antoni Corone were later cast in January 2008.[2] Greengrass said of the project's contemporary relevance, "Film shouldn't be disenfranchised from the national conversation. It is never too soon for cinema to engage with events that shape our lives."[17]
Production of Green Zone was originally slated to begin in late 2007.[15] Instead, it began in Spain on January 10, 2008,[2] moved to Morocco, and finished filming in the UK in December 2008.
Reception
The film has received generally mixed reviews from critics, and currently holds a 52% 'Rotten' rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 27 reviews.[19]
References
- ^ a b c Green Zone review by Todd McCarthy, Variety, Mar. 4, 2010. Retrieved 2010-03-09.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Michael Fleming (2008-01-09). "Amy Ryan set for Greengrass thriller". Variety. Retrieved 2008-01-22.
- ^ a b c "Green Zone". Working Title Films. Retrieved 2008-03-12.
- ^ Michael Fleming (2007-08-10). "Rush to judgment". Variety. Retrieved 2008-01-22.
- ^ "Amy Ryan". imdb. Retrieved 2009-11-04.
- ^ "Brendan Gleeson Enters Green Zone". Variety. 2008-03-12. Retrieved 2008-03-12.
- ^ Adam Dawtrey (2008-03-11). "Gleeson takes final lead in 'Zone'". Variety. Retrieved 2008-03-08.
- ^ Martin McDougall
- ^ Arifa Akbar (2008-01-16). "My acts of defiance". The Independent.
- ^ Tommy Campbell
- ^ Green Zone (2010) – Full cast and crew
- ^ Yigal goes to Hollywood
- ^ Hollywood supports troops, if not the war – POLITICO.com Print View
- ^ Sean Huze
- ^ a b Adam Dawtrey (2007-01-21). "Greengrass lines up Iraq movie". Variety. Retrieved 2008-01-22.
- ^ Richard Brooks (2007-08-12). "The Bourne Ultimatum – Biteback". The Sunday Times.
- ^ a b Ali Jaafar (2007-12-04). "Paul Greengrass". Variety. Retrieved 2008-01-22.
- ^ Diane Garrett (2007-06-06). "Damon, Greengrass re-teaming". Variety. Retrieved 2008-01-22.
- ^ "Green Zone Reviews". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 2010-03-08.