The Terrorist Next Door

I must warn you that I gave the movie a four star rating because it was interesting in that it was based on true events. As a regular drama, it leaves much to be desired. There are no exploding helicopters, no women taking showers, and no miracle cars that roll over and keep moving. Bush fans watch out, as the movie talks about the terrorist cell that wanted to use a jet as a bomb and fly it into the Eiffel Tower prior to 9-11. This was one of those dots Connie couldn't connect. Ahmed Ressam left Algeria and came to Canada to be a playboy as radical Islam ruined his life in Algeria. He was very secular, but had to live in a Muslim community because white Canadians don't integrate with Muslims very well, or so the movie leads us to believe. He moves in with a group of guys who are part of a sleeper cell, unknown to him. He is being watched, as is the cell by Canadian intelligence. One of the Canadian spooks discovers his former college gf is married to a man suspected of collecting money for Al Qaida under the ruse of Islamic charities. However, the Canadian authorities move too soon, and he escapes overseas. Since he was the head of the cell, the Canadian intelligence becomes lax, except for this one guy. Ahmed Ressam, who cannot blend into Canadian culture (who wants to?) becomes the new cell leader and plans the LAX bombing. The Canadians knew he what he was planning, but were not able to stop him before he came into the US. It took a low level US employee to do what all of the Canadian intelligence community could not do (Hey! Canada made the film, don't blame me.) The film moves slow. Kathleen Robertson as the terrorist's wife was perhaps the best performance in the flick. There is no nudity, sex, or bad language. In fact the movie pauses and has fade outs as if it was designed for TV commercials.