In the Loop (2009)
Comedy |.
In the Loop is a British satirical black comedy film directed by Armando Iannucci. The film is a spin-off from his BBC Television series The Thick of It and satirises Anglo-American politics, in particular the invasion of Iraq. It was nominated for the 2009 Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. The film stars Peter Capaldi, Tom Hollander, Gina McKee, Chris Addison, David Rasche, and James Gandolfini.
When both the UK and the US are suggesting military intervention in the Middle East, Simon Foster, the Minister for International Development, unintentionally states that a war in the Middle East is “unforeseeable” during a radio interview on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. The Prime Minister’s Director of Communications, Malcolm Tucker, castigates Simon and tells him to toe the line. Toby Wright, Simon’s new aide, with the help of his girlfriend Suzy, manages to get Simon into the Foreign Office meeting that day.
Karen Clark, the US Assistant Secretary of State for Diplomacy, who is against military intervention, is leading the meeting and flags a report by her assistant Liza Weld titled “Post-War Planning, Parameters, Implications and Possibilities” (PWPPIP). The report heavily opposes intervention, noting the lack of intelligence except that which is coming from an unsubstantiated source known as “Iceman”. Also during the committee it is hinted at that the US Assistant Secretary of State for Policy, Linton Barwick, may have set up a secret war committee. After being ambushed by reporters, Simon contradicts his previous statement by saying the government has to be prepared to “climb the mountain of conflict” and is again subjected to chastisement from Tucker…
Director: Armando Iannucci
Writers: Jesse Armstrong (screenplay), Simon Blackwell (screenplay), Armando Iannucci (screenplay), Tony Roche (screenplay), Ian Martin (additional dialogue), Harold Manning (french adaptation)
Stars: Tom Hollander, Peter Capaldi, James Gandolfini, Chris Addison, Anna Chlumsky, Gina McKee, David Rasche, Steve Coogan
►Cast:
| Peter Capaldi | … | Malcolm Tucker |
| Harry Hadden-Paton | … | Civil Servant |
| Samantha Harrington | … | Malcolm’s Secretary |
| Gina McKee | … | Judy Molloy |
| Tom Hollander | … | Simon Foster |
| Olivia Poulet | … | Suzy |
| Chris Addison | … | Toby Wright |
| James Smith | … | Michael Rodgers |
| Zach Woods | … | Chad |
| Mimi Kennedy | … | Karen Clark |
| Anna Chlumsky | … | Liza Weld |
| Enzo Cilenti | … | Bob Adriano |
| Lucinda Raikes | … | Reporter |
| James Doherty | … | Reporter |
| David Rasche | … | Linton Barwick |
| Reid Sasser | … | Airport Security Man |
| James Gandolfini | … | Lt. Gen. George Miller |
| Johnny Pemberton | … | A.J. Brown |
| Chipo Chung | … | Annabelle Hsin |
| Del Pentecost | … | White House Tourist |
| Joanna Scanlan | … | Roz |
| Joanna Brookes | … | Mrs. McDiarmid |
| Steve Coogan | … | Paul Michaelson |
| Rita May | … | Mrs. Michaelson |
| Paul Higgins | … | Jamie MacDonald |
| Alex Macqueen | … | Sir Jonathan Tutt |
| Eve Matheson | … | New Minister |
| Will Smith | … | New Advisor |
| Christian Contreras | … | Jeff Romero (scenes deleted) |
| Chizzy Akudolu | … | UN Cleaner |
| Stephanie Cannon | … | US State Department Employee |
| Jen Carden | … | Club Dancer |
| Scot Cregan | … | Airport Traveller |
| Jim Hild | … | Party Goer |
| Julie Mun | … | State Dept. Staffer |
| Natasha Sattler | … | Club Dancer |
| Janelle Schmidt | … | Club Dancer |
| Tina Simmons | … | Female Executive |
| John Snowden | … | Government Minister |
| Al Sotto | … | Limo Driver |
| Patrick Michael Strange | … | State Dept. Staffer |
| John Warman | … | Security |
| Don Whatley | … | Party Goer |
Sources: imdb & wikipedia