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Now playing in limited release is director Brad Anderson’s thriller Beirut. Written by Bourne trilogy scribe Tony Gilroy, the film stars Jon Hamm as a U.S. diplomat who experiences a tragic event in Lebanon in the early 70s which causes him to flee the country. A decade later he is called back to help negotiate for the life of a friend still living in the war-torn country. Beirut also stars Rosamund Pike, Dean Norris, Shea Whigham, Mark Pellegrino and Larry Pine.

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Image via Bleecker Street

Shortly after seeing the film at this year's Sundance Film Festival, I sat down with Jon Hamm, Brad Anderson and Tony Gilroy for an extended conversation about the making of the movie. They each revealed how the project came about, how the script changed before filming began, their most memorable moments from filming, and how late you stay out after a world premiere at Sundance. In addition, Jon Hamm talks about what made him nervous before filming began, Tony Gilroy reveals how the script helped him get a lot of work early in his career, and Brad Anderson talked about what they learned from friends and family screening. Finally, they each shared what was the last great movie they saw and the last TV show they binged.

Check out what Jon Hamm, Brad Anderson and Tony Gilroy had to say in the player above and below is exactly what we talked about and the official synopsis.

Jon Hamm, Brad Anderson and Tony Gilroy:

  • How long do you stay out partying after a good screening at Sundance?
  • They talk about the genesis of the project and how Tony Gilroy wrote the script back in 1991. Reveals a lot of people had interest in making the film and it helped get him a lot of work.
  • How did Brad Anderson hear about the script?
  • How did the script change after Anderson got involved?
  • Tony Gilroy talks about how the script changed after things got going.
  • Jon Hamm talks about what got him involved in the project.
  • They each talk about memorable moments from filming.
  • Jon Hamm talks about what surprised him about the time period when he was researching the role.
  • What did they learn from friends and family screenings?
  • Tony Gilroy talks about which scene he struggled with while writing the script. Also reveals which film he thinks is better in the film than what was on the page.
  • Jon Hamm talks about what made him nervous before filming began and which scene was a challenge to film.
  • What was the last great movie they saw and what was the last TV show they binged?
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Image via Bleecker Street

Here's the Beirut official synopsis:

In 1972 Beirut, American diplomat Mason Skiles (Jon Hamm) hosts a cocktail party accompanied by his wife and Karim, the 13-year old Lebanese orphan (Yoau Saian Rosenberg) whom they hope to adopt. The festivities are disrupted when Mason’s best friend, CIA Agent Cal Riley (Mark Pellegrino) arrives with startling information about Karim. Seconds later, terrorists attack the party with tragic results.

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Ten years later, Mason, now an alcoholic working as a mediator for labor disputes in Boston, gets approached by a stranger in a bar, who hands him a passport, cash and a plane ticket along with an urgent invitation from mutual “friends” that he travel to Beirut. Reluctantly, Mason arrives in Beirut only to find that the formerly picturesque city on the sea has become a violence-ridden warzone. Mason soon discovers the real reason he’s been called back. CIA and Embassy officials Donald Gaines (Dean Norris), Gary Ruzak (Shea Whigham) and Ambassador Frank Whalen (Larry Pine) explain that terrorists have kidnapped a CIA agent. Mason’s mission: negotiate a swap for the release of terrorist leader Abu Rajal (Hicham Ouraqa), believed to be imprisoned by Israeli secret police, in exchange for the American.

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Navigating the rubble-strewn city with the help of his Embassy-assigned handler, savvy “cultural attaché” Sandy Crowder (Rosamund Pike), Mason secretly meets with the kidnappers and uncovers clues that help him unravel competing agendas advanced by Israeli military boss Roni Niv (Alon Aboutboul), American politicians, Palestinian Liberation Front minister Bashir (Ahmed Said Arif) and corrupt bureaucrats. Confronting ghosts from his past, Mason faces a formidable question: Who do you trust in a world where the truth emerges only when it’s convenient — or profitable? A taut action thriller from director Brad Anderson and writer-producer Tony Gilroy, Beirut takes an unflinching look at the cost of freedom.