Years after his squad was ambushed during the Gulf War, Major Ben Marco finds himself having terrible nightmares. He begins to doubt that his fellow squad-mate Sergeant Raymond Shaw, now a vice-presidential candidate, is the hero he remembers him being. As Marco's doubts deepen, Shaw's political power grows, and, when Marco finds a mysterious implant embedded in his back, the memory of what really happened begins to return.
Acting
Streep's Eleanor—terrifying maternalism that launched a thousand thinkpieces.
Direction
Demme's close-ups make every conversation feel like an interrogation.
Writing
Updating Cold War paranoia to corporate conspiracy without losing the teeth.
Director
Jonathan Demme
Denzel Washington
Major Bennett Ezekiel Marco
Meryl Streep
Senator Eleanor Prentiss Shaw (D-VA)
Liev Schreiber
Congressman Raymond Prentiss Shaw (D-NY)
Simon McBurney
Dr. Atticus Noyle
Kimberly Elise
Rosie
Bruno Ganz
Delp
Jon Voight
Senator Thomas Jordan (D-CT)
Jeffrey Wright
CPL Al Melvin
Anthony Mackie
PFC Robert Baker III
Ted Levine
Colonel Howard
Miguel Ferrer
Colonel Garret
Dean Stockwell
Mark Whiting
Vera Farmiga
Jocelyne Jordan
Pablo Schreiber
PFC Eddie Ingram
Jude Ciccolella
David Donovan
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Released during the 2004 election, the film's corporate-controlled candidate felt less satire and more documentary to audiences. Streep reportedly based Eleanor's mannerisms on Hillary Clinton and Nancy Reagan simultaneously.
The original 1962 film's director John Frankenheimer was consulted; he died months before release. Denzel Washington and Liev Schreiber spent two weeks in 're-education camp' rehearsals to nail the brainwashed stiffness.
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