Syriana (2005)

The Middle Eastern oil industry is the backdrop of this tense drama, which weaves together numerous story lines. Bennett Holiday is an American lawyer in charge of facilitating a dubious merger of oil companies, while Bryan Woodman, a Switzerland-based energy analyst, experiences both personal tragedy and opportunity during a visit with Arabian royalty. Meanwhile, veteran CIA agent Bob Barnes uncovers an assassination plot with unsettling origins.

Genres: Drama, Thriller

What to watch after Syriana

• The Good Shepherd (2006) — Same subject: central intelligence agency (cia)
• Green Zone (2010) — Same subject: conspiracy
• Kafka (1991)
• Hanna (2011) — Two steps away in the credits
• Contagion (2011) — Matt Damon appears in both
• Behind the Candelabra (2013) — Matt Damon appears in both