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Syriana

Play trailer Poster for Syriana R 2005 2h 8m Drama Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
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73% Tomatometer 197 Reviews 67% Popcornmeter 100,000+ Ratings
The Middle Eastern oil industry is the backdrop of this tense drama, which weaves together numerous story lines. Bennett Holiday (Jeffrey Wright) is an American lawyer in charge of facilitating a dubious merger of oil companies, while Bryan Woodman (Matt Damon), a Switzerland-based energy analyst, experiences both personal tragedy and opportunity during a visit with Arabian royalty. Meanwhile, veteran CIA agent Bob Barnes (George Clooney) uncovers an assassination plot with unsettling origins.
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Syriana

Syriana

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Critics Consensus

Ambitious, complicated, intellectual, and demanding of its audience, Syriana is both a gripping geopolitical thriller and wake-up call to the complacent.

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Critics Reviews

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Zadie Smith Daily Telegraph (UK) Jan 17, 2018
Syriana is an American movie that reaches out beyond itself. Watching it made me feel hopeful -- a rare sensation in a cinema. Go to Full Review Victoria Segal New Statesman Sep 26, 2017
... If you can avoid getting too hung up on the details, Syriana is a brave attempt to blitz the goody-baddy dynamics of cold-war film-making and concentrate on the ambiguities of modern geopolitics. Go to Full Review J. R. Jones Chicago Reader Mar 30, 2009
This is intelligent, committed, and politically provocative, though its narrative puzzle box may prompt you to throw up your hands and let ExxonMobil go on running the world. Go to Full Review Danielle Solzman Solzy at the Movies Nov 23, 2025
4/5
Twenty years later, Syriana and its exploration of oil, politics, and the human cost behind global power remains as relevant today as it was in 2005. Go to Full Review Michael Clark Epoch Times May 13, 2022
5/5
This movie is certainly not for all, or even most tastes. If you prefer something light, breezy, and uncomplicated, don’t even waste your time. It gets up in your face and under your skin and grows only more confrontational and damning as it progresses. Go to Full Review Micheal Compton Bowling Green Daily News Nov 19, 2019
A
A complex thriller that challenges its audience with a fascinating story woven among several plot threads. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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S P @S1337 Mar 27, 2026 Hard to follow at times, but delve into the world of business, geopolitics intertwined stories of many people. Demands constant attention to try and untangle the web of stories, it's interesting but never really hits. Some stories are more enthralling than others, which overall makes a good film, but only for people who are really into these kind of themes. See more Stephen C @bob25009 Mar 1, 2026 Success in 2 hour and 8 minutes. Academy Award winner in 2006 for Best Supporting Actor (George Clooney). Rated R for Violence and Language. See more N N @Nickstreet Jan 28, 2026 Looks like a great movie, but… trying to be a bit too clever, just ending up bloated and boring See more Michael D @RT54178660 Jan 4, 2026 Even two decades later, the film remains remarkably effective. It masterfully resolves several complex plot threads, supported by standout performances from the entire ensemble. See more Leprechaun K @LeprechaunKing Nov 1, 2025 Wonderfully written and directed by Gaghan. It has an all star ensemble. Every performance is Oscar worthy. The plot isn't easy to follow with the first watch, yet it is engaging and all the different storylines fit together seamlessly. See more Ian R @RT23899272 Oct 18, 2025 Why is George Clooney so conceited? Aside from what is ostensibly his good looks, he is so typical of Hollywood's holier than thou moral attitude. Unfortunately this film, as good as it is has a sanctimonious feel to it. Prepare to feel judged for being part of modern society. See more Read all reviews
Syriana

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Cast & Crew

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Stephen Gaghan

Director

George Clooney

Robert Baer

Matt Damon

Bryan Woodman

Jeffrey Wright

Bennett Holiday

Amanda Peet

Julie Woodman

Chris Cooper

Jimmy Pope

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Syriana

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Movie Info

Synopsis The Middle Eastern oil industry is the backdrop of this tense drama, which weaves together numerous story lines. Bennett Holiday (Jeffrey Wright) is an American lawyer in charge of facilitating a dubious merger of oil companies, while Bryan Woodman (Matt Damon), a Switzerland-based energy analyst, experiences both personal tragedy and opportunity during a visit with Arabian royalty. Meanwhile, veteran CIA agent Bob Barnes (George Clooney) uncovers an assassination plot with unsettling origins.
Director
Stephen Gaghan
Producer
George Clooney, Ben Cosgrove, Jennifer Fox
Screenwriter
Robert Baer, John Bowker
Distributor
Warner Bros.
Production Co
Warner Brothers
Rating
R (Violence|Language)
Genre
Drama, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Dec 9, 2005, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Feb 1, 2009
Box Office (Gross USA)
$50.8M
Runtime
2h 8m
Sound Mix
Dolby SRD, DTS, SDDS
Aspect Ratio
Scope (2.35:1)
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