This black comedy has twenty-something Canadian Jay Bahadur (Evan Peters) with dreams of becoming a journalist but no clear path towards reaching that goal. One day he hits upon the dubious idea of traveling to Somalia, a very dangerous country where no Western journalists will go out of fear, and writing a book about the coastal pirates. Once there, he learns about the local culture while also clumsily causing havoc. Featuring Barkhad Abdi as his friendly translator, Al Pacino as a journalistic mentor, and Melanie Griffith as Jay's mother. Also appearing are Coral Pena, Russell Posner, Kiana Madani, Maria Vos, and Philip Ettinger.
Peters is good in the lead, a goofball who makes up in courage what he lacks in common sense. Abdi, who played the lead Somali pirate in Captain Phillips, is also excellent as the cheerful local. Pacino and Griffith have little more than cameos. The film seems to be trying for a mix of Salvador and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, with many of the dangerous situations offset by humor. It doesn't always work, and the movie could have been 20 minutes shorter, but it's still a somewhat interesting glimpse at a foreign culture.
Peters is good in the lead, a goofball who makes up in courage what he lacks in common sense. Abdi, who played the lead Somali pirate in Captain Phillips, is also excellent as the cheerful local. Pacino and Griffith have little more than cameos. The film seems to be trying for a mix of Salvador and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, with many of the dangerous situations offset by humor. It doesn't always work, and the movie could have been 20 minutes shorter, but it's still a somewhat interesting glimpse at a foreign culture.