By Emilia Benton

Until now, the term “extraordinary rendition” probably wasn’t a part of most Americans’ vocabulary. However, after watching “Rendition,” eyes will be opened for many who would otherwise be unaware of this shocking concept.

The film opens with a scene in which expectant mother, Isabella (Reese Witherspoon), plays soccer in her front yard with her young son while taking a call from her Egyptian-American husband, Anwar El-Ibrahimi (Omar Metwally), a chemical engineer on his way back from a conference in South Africa.

A scene early on in the film gives away what’s about to happen next when government officials delete Anwar’s passenger information to make it appear that he never boarded his flight home, hinting that those behind his capture know they don’t have their facts right. Shortly thereafter, Anwar is seized on orders from CIA spy chief Corrine Whitman (Meryl Streep), who suspects that he was involved in a recent suicide bombing in an unidentified North African country. It is later learned that he has been shipped to a secret detention facility in this same country for interrogation. This process, later identified as the concept of “extraordinary rendition,” is defined as the transfer of a person from one state to another, often to countries known to employ harsh interrogation techniques that may rise to the level of torture.

Days after her husband failed to meet her at the airport, Isabella heads for Washington to search for answers, with the help of her college boyfriend, Alan Smith (played by Peter Sarsgaard), who works for a senator on Capitol Hill and later gives her the tip of tracking down Whitman for answers.

Whitman appears to feel no shame in what she has approved, justifying the torture, because they once helped avert a bombing in London, home to her grandchildren. Streep gives a convincing performance in portraying her heartless character, turning away when a hysterical Isabella confronts her, proving clearly that turning a blind eye to her distress is necessary if it means it will prevent giving her opponents a campaign issue to use against her.

Meanwhile, after learning of the death of one of her staffers in the bombing, Whitman makes the quick decision to hire young analyst Douglas Freeman (Jake Gyllenhaal) to assist a police chief and participate in Anwar’s questioning, even though she herself questions his ability, describing him as looking “12 years old.” As he observes the torture and interrogation of Anwar, it’s apparent that he also is unsure if he is ready to take on this challenge. He appears to believe that the strategies of torture are morally wrong, as well as inefficient.

“Rendition” argues that the US government shouldn’t hand over innocent citizens to foreign interrogators before it knows exactly what it’s looking for. Streep’s character questions whether throwing out one suspect’s rights is worth the possibility of saving countless others. Though she never fully addresses the matter, Whitman’s inclusion in the film highlights the matter for the audience.

Witherspoon is convincing in her role as a distraught wife and mother. While the film’s advertisement has focused on her, it’s evident that Gyllenhaal’s performance as the sullen Freeman steals the spotlight, remaining the most memorable.

Overall, “Rendition” is a gripping film, but it too closely parallels the plot lines of recent films like “A Mighty Heart” and “Babel,” showing that originality is hard to come by.

Meryl Streep and Alan Arkin star as government employees in the middle of a dispute regarding the controversial practice of interrogation. The film, also starring Reese Witherspoon, is out now. (allmoviephoto.com)