Did find myself gripped by the trailer initially and the story sounded really interesting. A cast with the likes of John Hamm, Rosamund Pike (one of my main reasons for seeing the film) and Dean Norris also promised a good deal, and both Brad Anderson and Tony Gilroy have done solid work previous.
Although more divisive here, 'The Negotiator' from my understanding has as of now been received positively critically. It is not hard to see why, it is not perfect and falls short of being great but there are an awful lot of things to like. It did deserve to do better financially, having been a box office under-performer, and deserved much better than a limited release, not just in my country but worldwide too, where even then it would have been easy to miss with such tight competition released around the same time. With advertising that did it justice, rather than making it out to be a film far less complex and more insensitive than it actually is, and that it was released under the title 'The Negotiator' (a far more appealing title in the first place) worldwide instead of the misleading 'Beirut', the film would have fared better.
'The Negotiator' has a few faults. It does lose its way in the final third, where things lose momentum and plausibility declines. Felt too that the film resolved at the end too tidily.
For me, the music was on the intrusive side and while there was not much of a problem with the authenticity of it there was a problem with the placement, which could be inappropriate for the mood and not fitting that well.
Rosamund Pike does do very well in the acting stakes, but the character felt underwritten and underused somewhat, in general the character development was a little sketchy excepting the lead character.
However, 'The Negotiator' is slickly photographed and regardless of it not being the real location (though as said there have been many films that weren't made in the real life, either being done in another country or in the studio, and still manage to be good and even great to classic films) the scenery has beauty and grit. Anderson directs with control and tautness, giving alertness to the drama while allowing things to breathe too.
Gilroy's script is tightly structured, smart and thought-provoking, the political elements and connections not complicating the story despite their complexities. The story, while losing its way in the last act, is from the very start gripping, not hard to follow or dull and has a number of thrills and nail-biting suspense. Loved the meaty character writing for the lead character and his quite complex development and although some have said otherwise the film's representation of the Middle East/Beirut is far less insensitive than has been made out.
John Hamm in on top form here, at his best perhaps, and is rightfully the standout of the quite impeccable cast. Pike does very well being tough and sympathetic, and it was great seeing different roles for Dean Norris and Shea Whigham that contrast with the roles that they're most famous for.
Overall, not a great film and with its issues, namely the last act and the music, but gripping, intelligent and well cast and made. So much better than its misleading advertising, limited release, criticisms against it for not being authentic and being offensive (didn't think that personally) and financial under-performance indicates. 7/10 Bethany Cox
