Traitor (2008)

The midweek review this week sees Don Cheadle in a type of role I am not used to see him in- leading man. Does it suit him? Read on and find out.

Scott.

Traitor (2008)

The Jeffrey Nachmanoff film from 2008, Traitor, casts Don Cheadle in a leading role (this was the first time I had seen him as a leading man), and I am here to tell you, it should happen more. He is excellent in this suspenseful spy thriller that makes good use of his considerable acting skills. Guy Pearce is also perfect in his role as the FBI agent Roy Clayton, who is heading a task force to link Cheadle's chracter, Sam Horn, an American Muslim, to terrorist bombings all over the world. This is about all the synopsis I can give you, because this is a very easy film to spoil.
Jeffrey Nachmanoff seems to be a more-than-competent director and the secondary characters are good enough to make the story move at a good pace. A very good script, written by Nachmanoff and Steve Martin (yes, that Steve Martin) makes this an interesting, sometimes fascinating film from beginning to end.
I would like to mention two more performances that stand out and really surprised me in their strength. Jeff Daniels plays one of the most important characters in the film, though he doesn't have much screen time. In what little time he does have on screen, he steals the limelight from the more prominent actors. The other performance worth mentioning comes from Said Taghmaoui. His is the character in the film that makes you question your emotions and feelings toward him, and his performance is possibly the most powerful in the film.
This is a film I have been palnning to watch for a long time, and our good friend Shane requested I watch it, and write a review. I am glad I took his advice.

Scott's Final Grade: B
Scott's Final Recommendation: A must watch for any fan of spy thrillers.