I wish I could write a better review of The Pirates Of Somalia. That is certainly one troubled land for the past 30 or so years. When the action of this film takes place in 2008 it was hardly even a country, a geographical expression at best.

Years ago when Lebanon was in a similar state and to some extent still is I read that President Gemayel controlled maybe 10 blocks square around the presidential palace in Beirut. That about sums up the situation in Somalia with different warlords controlling a piece of turf over a country a lot bigger than Lebanon.

Doing a paper on Somalia at the University of Toronto, young Jay Bahadur played here by Evan Peters wants a journalistic career and seeks the advice of a legendary reporter. Playing said reporter Al Pacino basically says seek out a subject and write. Make sure it's something no one else has already covered to death.

Being a country with a nice long sea coast, any number of these Somalian warlords have gone into piracy for profit. At the same time that Bahadur was gathering material for his Somalia story, the world watched as some of these pirates took Captain Phillips hostage.

Sad to say that the nature of that story a spine tingling adventure sort of wrote itself for the screen with Tom Hanks giving an acclaimed performance. I wish that this one had been juiced up a bit or at least 20 to 30 minutes had been cut out. The pace of The Pirates Of Somalia is agonizingly slow at times.

Al Pacino really stands out. No doubt put it the film for a little box office juice, he also picks up the pace with a quirky performance. He's in at the beginning and toward the end. I wish we could have worked him in more.

The Pirates Of Somalia is a story that needed telling. But fortify yourself with a bit of caffeine before watching.

Only familiar with the existence of so-called Somalian pirates through news reports I've heard infrequently over the years, I got I got a nice clear introduction to what really could be a more truthful portrayal of them then what has been revealed in the news media. The insinuation that the media made about these so-called higher record has been violent and somewhat barbaric, basically kidnap and/or kill without regards to the lives impacted. But a novice journalist, Jay Bahadur (Evan Peters),risks everything to go over from his comfortable Canadian home to an unknown world and finds like Jonathan Harker in "Dracula" that other ways are not necessarily his ways, and now, he is in no position to fight those differences.

Peters finds a hopefully sincere ally in Somalian translater Barkhad Abdi, wanting him immediately of certain things not to do and yet becoming like a brother to him as he learns about the cultures while collecting the information for the book he wants to write. It's interesting to watch Peters start you fit in, wondering with each step if he's making a mistake, and learn to trust simply because he has no choice. Those whom Abdi introduces him to have differing attitudes also none are seemingly filled with racial hatred or distrust.

He finds himself risking the wrath of the top pirate by lightly flirting with one of his wives, and in American eyes, it seems harmless. As he gets closer to those involved in the alleged piracy ring, he gets to understand why they have to exist and what the purpose really is. Agree or disagree with it, the viewer gets to see a different side then what the regular news media has reported, although when the situation gets serious, it does get scary.

The reason why this film works so well is that it is not done in the mood a nation's political upheaval or one man in a situation that is beyond their control that could end violently at any minute. Serious situations are presented in a light-hearted way so the viewer can become engaged in the story without feeling overwhelmed with tension. cameos by Melanie Griffith and Al Pacino don't really add anything to the story, but the performances by Peters and Abdi are truly engrossing. Peters, being slightly overwhelmed by his situation gets us to see inside his mind as he has bizarre fantasies that come and go throughout the film, and Abdi really seems to be looking out for his newfound Canadian buddy, separated by cultural differences but not human connection. That makes this a special film that is timeless in many ways and engrossing on many levels.

Based on a true story.

Jay Bahadur (Evan Peters) is a wet behind the ears, wannabe journalist. He decides the way to get noticed is to go to Somalia and do a story on the pirates with the help of mom's milk money (Melanie Griffith). Yup, that's about it. We see Jay in his small room with yellow sticky notes. He goes out and talks to people and goes back to his room. I guess the climax was his debriefing. Not much in the way of action. He talks to the "pirates" and never once says, "aargh." Oh yes, he eats some khat and talks too much.

Guide: F-word. No sex or nudity.