Angelina Jolie in Beyond Borders

Distributor: Roadshow Entertainment
Certificate: MA15+
Director: Martin Campbell

Cast: Angelina Jolie, Clive Owen, Teri Polo, Linus Roache
Extras: Yes

This often heartbreaking beautifully shot Angelina Jolie movie is at times in danger of appearing to be a travelogue of the worlds war zones, made in 2001 inbetween Tomb Raiders, its 1984 and Jolie plays Sarah Jordan a well to do married member of the London elite, whilst at a fund raising event for the crisis in Ethopian she meets intense doctor Nick Callahan (Clive Owen), stirring something inside Sarah she decides to join Nick in transporting food and supplies to dust filled Ethiopian trouble spots; Cut to 1988 and Sarah is divorced and working for the UNs refugee agency meeting Nick in Cambodia and beginning an affair with him, this doesnt last but five years later the pair meet up again in war torn Chechnya (in real life stand in Quebec).

A very worthy movie full of very difficult to watch moments (and we are not just talking Jolies shocking wig in the 1980s scenes either), Beyond Borders works well as a UN campaign flick but less well as a romantic drama. Angelina of course still manages to look gorgeous throughout whether it be tending to the dying in Ethiopia or dealing with the Chechnya winter, her role is more reactive here than usual for her spending too long looking for Clive Owens stop at nothing doctor. The film obviously had a huge influence on Jolie as she became goodwill ambassador to the UN after reading the script and is still heavily involved, she has even adopted a Cambodian child.

EXTRAS: Audio Commentary, quite interesting 40 minute behind the scenes doco mostly on the Quebec set, an 8 minute interview with writer Caspian Tredwell-Oen, a brief 3 minute look at Jolies work for the UN and the theatrical trailer.