Syriana is a 2005
geopolitical thriller film written and directed by
Stephen Gaghan, and executive produced by
George Clooney, who also stars in the film with an
ensemble cast. Gaghan's screenplay is loosely
adapted from
Robert Baer's memoir
See No Evil. The film focuses on
petroleum politics and the global influence of the
oil industry, whose political, economic, legal, and social effects are experienced by a
Central Intelligence Agency operative (
George Clooney), an energy analyst (
Matt Damon), a
Washington, D.C. attorney (
Jeffrey Wright), and a young unemployed
Pakistani migrant worker (
Mazhar Munir) in an
Arab state in the Persian Gulf. The film also features an extensive supporting cast including
Amanda Peet,
Tim Blake Nelson,
Mark Strong,
Alexander Siddig,
Amr Waked, and
Academy Award winners
Christopher Plummer,
Chris Cooper and
William Hurt.