Tim Ryan

Dreadful. Big names a plenty: del Toro, Cumberbatch, Hanks, Johannsen, Bryan Cranston, Riz Ahmed, Jason Watkins). But it doesn't gel. Ostensibly about completing a railroad in Phoenicia. If it's meant to be a take on modern day current events it fails to hit any targets.

This is a pretty good. Sacha Baron Cohen, who l can't stand as a comedian, is actually very good in the lead role of Syrian Jew relocating to Israel and being recruited by Mossad to infiltrate Syria. The plot would appear to have huge holes in it but it is based on true events. Not least, ingratiating our spy into Syria via the huge Syrian community in Buenos Aires is clever but one imagines you'd need Spanish to operate successfully in Argentina. It's pre internet age, but surely going back to be a spy in his country of origin under a false identity might lead to chance of discovery. For all that, it6gripping stuff as our spy inveigles his way to the top of the Syrian government. If you don't know the true life ending, I shan't spoil it but it's well worth a watch.