The Mauritanian (2021)

Based on a true story concerning Mohamedou Ould Slahi, one of the suspected recruiters for the men who carried out the hijackings on 9/11. He's taken from home, eventually winds up in Guantanamo, and stays there for about 14 years. After a couple of years, a lawyer learns of the case and wants to take it on as an interesting fight for rights, regardless of whether he's guilty. We also see the struggle of the prosecutor assigned to the case as he tries to navigate the opacity of Gitmo.

So, it's an interesting story about a disgusting chapter in our history (a chapter that's still being written since Guantanamo remains in use), but the film is fairly standard. Despite the fact that Cumberbatch clearly believes that all Americans speak in the long drawl of a southern gentleman, all of the actors do a solid job. The impact, however, was similar to that of a well-researched news story.

B-