Rendition

Egyptian-born, assimilated American citizen Anwar El-Ibrahimi (Metwally) is ripped from his suburban Chicago existence to the confusion of his pregnant wife Isabella (Witherspoon), who worries when he doesn't return from a business trip. She turns to old boyfriend Alan Smith (Sarsgaard), a congressional aide, for access to Senator Hawkins (Arkin), although her pleas fall on deaf ears. Turns out Anwar's in North Africa being tortured by the local authorities (with Washington's secret blessing) for what they believe is his involvement in a terrorist bombing. Meanwhile, newly-promoted CIA analyst Douglas Freeman (Gyllenhaal) is privy to Anwar's interrogation and begins to have second thoughts. Corrinne Whitman (Streep) runs the whole rendition program (an actual government policy that allows suspected terrorists to be extradited for interrogation) with a steely resolve. Unfortunately it all fails to convince, and even an otherwise brilliant cast can't pull this topical nugget out of the trash bin.