Beyond Borders

Perhaps one can enjoy Martin Campbell's romantic epic, set against the backdrop of some of the world's most terrible trouble spots, as a mini-fashion show for Angelina Jolie: she models a striking succession of outfits over its two-hour span. But constructing what amounts to an elaborate soap opera on a foundation of actual human misery seems crass and meretricious. Here, Jolie plays a London socialite who's turned on to the idea of social service by an idealistic “doctor without borders” (jut-jawed Clive Owen), following him to his camp in famine-racked Ethiopia, and later becoming a United Nations aid worker, in which capacity she assists Owen's successive efforts in war-torn Cambodia and Chechnya. Over the years, of course, they also become romantically involved--even though she's married. This scenario might once have been the basis for an overripe TV miniseries (it's certainly handsomely mounted), but while there are occasional powerful moments--one episode involving a starving Ethiopian mother and child, and another featuring some brutal Khmer Rouge guerrillas stand out--finding them in an old-fashioned tale about an adulterous affair seems rather tawdry. Ultimately, this stiffly acted superficial melodrama degrades the important subject it so cavalierly employs as mere window dressing for its centerpiece romance. Not recommended. [Note: Available in both widescreen and full screen versions, DVD extras include audio commentary by director Martin Campbell and producer Lloyd Phillips, the “Behind the Lines” two-part “making of” documentary (18 mins. each), a seven-minute “Writing Beyond Borders” interview with writer Caspian Tredwell-Owen, a four-minute “Angelina: Goodwill Ambassador” segment on star Angelina Jolie's volunteer work, and trailers. Bottom line: a decent extras package for a disappointing film.] (F. Swietek)