Syriana

Syriana is a drama and thriller set within the Middle Eastern oil industry, where several storylines gradually intersect. Bob Barnes, a veteran CIA officer who has spent his career on terrorism and the region, finds his work undercut by shifting priorities in Washington. Bryan Woodman, an energy analyst based in Switzerland, suffers a family tragedy while visiting an Arabian prince, and the loss draws him into the prince's circle. Bennett Holiday, a lawyer at a firm handling the merger of two American oil companies, faces scrutiny from the Justice Department over the deal's legitimacy. The three men's paths converge around a struggle over energy rights and political influence, with consequences reaching from boardrooms to a young Pakistani worker.

Stephen Gaghan wrote and directed the film, following his 2002 debut Abandon. George Clooney plays Barnes, with Matt Damon as Woodman, Jeffrey Wright as Holiday, and supporting turns from Chris Cooper, Amanda Peet and William Hurt among a credited cast of 48. Gaghan's screenplay is loosely inspired by the experiences of former CIA officer Robert Baer, and the production spans the United States and the Gulf, reflecting the multiple vantage points of its plot.

Made for about 50 million USD, Syriana took in roughly 94 million USD worldwide, a modest return. On IMDb it holds 6.8/10 from around 138,000 votes, and on TMDB 6.4/10 from about 1,545 votes. A critics' rating of 7.1/10 from 197 reviews sits slightly above those audience scores. It remains the second of Gaghan's four features as director.