Background & Production

The Pirates of Somalia is a 2017 American drama film written and directed by Bryan Buckley, based on the real-life 2011 memoir by Canadian journalist Jay Bahadur​. Buckley, an Oscar-nominated short filmmaker known for the Somali pirate short Asad, was drawn to adapt Bahadur’s book, which chronicles the author’s daring investigation into Somali piracy. The project was initially developed under the working title Where the White Man Runs Away (a phrase from Bahadur’s own prologue)​, and it later premiered as Dabka at the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival. The film’s production came together in late 2015 when Evan Peters was cast as Bahadur, with legends Al Pacino and Melanie Griffith and Somali-born actor Barkhad Abdi joining by early 2016​. Principal photography took place on location in South Africa (standing in for Somalia) and in North America in 2016​, aiming for authenticity in recreating the look and feel of Puntland. After wrapping filming in April 2016.The Pirates of Somalia debuted at Tribeca on April 27, 2017 and secured U.S. distribution through Echo Bridge, which released it in select theaters and on-demand on December 8, 2017​.

Plot Summary

In 2008, Jay Bahadur (Evan Peters) is an aspiring journalist stuck in his parents’ basement in Toronto, struggling to break into the news industry​. A chance encounter with his idol, veteran reporter Seymour Tolbin (Al Pacino), gives Jay unconventional advice: instead of grad school, undertake a bold journalistic adventure. Inspired, Jay hatches a half-baked plan to embed himself in Somalia to report on the rising scourge of piracy firsthand​. Armed with youthful determination and few contacts, he reaches out to a local Somali official who surprisingly invites him over. Jay flies to the war-torn Horn of Africa, intent on uncovering who the pirates are, how they live, and what drives them​.

On arrival in the autonomous region of Puntland, Jay is out of his depth but finds an invaluable ally in Abdi (Barkhad Abdi), a local fixer and translator​. With Abdi’s guidance, Jay gradually earns the trust of several Somali pirates, including leaders like Boyah, and begins conducting frank interviews. Over six months living in Garowe, he observes the pirates’ day-to-day existence and the desperate economic and social conditions that fuel their actions (learning, for instance, how illegal foreign fishing devastated Somali coastal livelihoods)​. Jay’s methods are often unorthodox – he chews the narcotic khat leaves with his hosts and swaps stories, blurring the line between reporter and participant. Through these interactions, he gleans insights into pirate organizations, from their clan-based codes to their ransom negotiations, and even witnesses some tense moments of piracy in action (portrayed via Jay’s khat-induced animated hallucinations of high-seas attacks). Despite run-ins with danger and his own naïveté, Jay perseveres in gathering the story of a lifetime. As his understanding deepens, Jay also grapples with ethical dilemmas in the field. In one instance, an international news outlet offers a bounty for hostage footage, forcing Jay to choose between a quick scoop and the advice of Abdi, who warns him not to exploit local suffering for cash​. Jay stays focused on respectful journalism, and his integrity earns him respect among the Somalis. By the end of his journey, Jay secures an unprecedented close-up look at Somalia’s pirates – material that will launch his career. In a capstone moment, he even meets the region’s president (and future Somali leader) and is playfully dubbed the “next Bob Woodward,” highlighting how far this basement-dwelling rookie has come​. Ultimately, Jay returns home transformed, with enough firsthand research to publish his exposé The Pirates of Somalia – revealing the human truth behind a global headline and marking the start of Bahadur’s real-life emergence as an authority on Somali piracy.

Cast & Performances

The Pirates of Somalia hinges on a compelling central performance by Evan Peters as Jay Bahadur​. Peters brings an earnest energy to the role of the idealistic rookie reporter. He captures Jay’s evolution from awkward, starry-eyed beginner to intrepid truth-seeker, making his journey believable and relatable. Peters infuses the character with humor and heart – whether fumbling through cultural misunderstandings or expressing genuine empathy for his hosts – which keeps audiences invested in Jay’s personal stakes. His natural charisma ensures we root for Jay even as he makes risky choices, and he convincingly portrays the wide-eyed wonder and occasional terror of a Westerner plunged into an unfamiliar world.

Playing Jay’s translator and guide Abdi, actor Barkhad Abdi delivers a standout supporting performance that many critics hailed as the film’s highlight​. Abdi – himself of Somali origin and famed for Captain Phillips – brings authenticity and quiet intensity to the role of a local man mediating between cultures. He endows Abdi (the character) with warmth, wit, and a hint of wariness, grounding the film in a Somali perspective. The chemistry between Peters and Abdi feels genuine and is imbued with camaraderie; their mentor-buddy dynamic provides the story’s emotional core​. Whether Abdi is gently schooling Jay on Somali customs or sparring with him over journalistic scruples, Abdi’s nuanced performance humanizes the narrative and often steals the scene. Together, Peters and Abdi form a compelling duo that keeps the film engaging even in its uneven moments.

In an extended cameo, Al Pacino appears as Seymour Tolbin, Jay’s crusty Canadian mentor. Though on screen only briefly, Pacino makes the most of his scenes – delivering gruff pearls of wisdom with cantankerous charm​. As Tolbin, Pacino essentially serves as the catalyst for Jay’s adventure, and his trademark intensity (tinged with dry humor) elevates what could have been a throwaway role into a memorable mentor figure. His presence also lends the film a touch of old-school gravitas, drawing a line from legendary journalists of the past to Jay’s new-generation quest. Melanie Griffith has a smaller part as Jay’s mother, Maria Bahadur​, offering light comic relief and maternal concern in the early scenes. While the role is minor, Griffith conveys Maria’s mix of worry and support for her son’s wild ambitions, and her interactions with Peters add a personal, humanizing layer to Jay’s background.

The supporting cast includes a mix of Western and Somali talent that enriches the film’s world. Notably, Somali actors portray most of the pirate characters and local officials, adding credibility to the depiction of Puntland’s society. For instance, veteran Somali performers like Mohamed Barre (as pirate leader Boyah) and Kiana Madani (as Maryan, a local woman who critiques Western portrayals of Somalia) make strong impressions in limited screen time. Their performances, along with Abdi’s, ensure that Somali characters aren’t mere caricatures but feel like real people with humor, pride, and complexity. Overall, the ensemble’s performances are widely praised for being committed and authentic, with even smaller roles leaving an impact. Together they elevate the material, turning what could have been a one-sided tale into a story populated by vivid personalities on both sides of the cultural divide​.

Cinematography & Direction

Directed by Bryan Buckley, The Pirates of Somalia has a stylistic approach that mixes gritty realism with playful experimentation. Cinematographer Scott Henriksen shoots the Somali settings (re-created in South Africa) with an eye for authenticity – dusty village streets, sparse deserts, and sun-baked coastlines are portrayed in natural, earthy tones, giving viewers a feel for the environment’s harsh beauty. The camera often adopts Jay’s perspective as an observer, lingering on everyday scenes: fishermen mending nets, pirates chewing khat under acacia trees, children playing amidst old wrecks. These visuals help immerse us in Somali life beyond the headlines, capturing both the vibrancy and volatility of a region in turmoil. The on-location shooting and use of Somali extras add to the documentary-like realism. When violence erupts or tensions spike, the cinematography shifts to a handheld, urgent style, putting us right in Jay’s shoes as he navigates chaotic situations. Overall, the film’s look successfully transports the audience to Puntland, balancing the allure of adventure with the grounded depiction of a developing nation’s landscape.

Buckley’s direction is ambitious, blending journalism drama with dark comedy and even flashes of fantasy. He keeps the pace brisk and infuses a surprising amount of humor into a serious subject – for example, through Jay’s wry voice-over narrations and awkward cultural faux pas. In fact, Buckley doesn’t shy away from stylistic flourishes: the film frequently breaks from conventional biopic tone by inserting animated sequences, fantasy cutaways, and pop-music montages to visualize Jay’s experiences​. One striking creative choice occurs whenever Jay and his interviewees chew khat: their relaxed, drug-induced storytelling segues into vibrant animated reenactments of pirate attacks, scored to upbeat hip-hop (like The Notorious B.I.G.’s “Hypnotize”)​. These sequences are bold attempts to literalize Jay’s imaginative understanding of events and inject kinetic energy into dialogue-heavy scenes. Buckley’s background in commercials and comedy is evident in these slick, energetic interludes and in the film’s sometimes irreverent tone. On one hand, these techniques add verve and help convey complex backstory in entertaining ways; on the other, some critics felt they undercut the gravity of the subject, coming off as needless embellishments that veer into glibness​

Thematically, Buckley uses Jay’s outsider journey to shine a light on Somali culture and the socio-economic factors behind piracy. The film goes beyond the caricature of “evil pirates” by depicting them as multifaceted individuals shaped by circumstance – impoverished fishermen pushed into crime after foreign overfishing ravaged their waters, or young men in a failed state seeking a livelihood​. In compassionate interviews, Jay learns how piracy, for some, is seen as a defense of Somalia’s maritime rights or a necessary evil in a world that neglected them. Buckley weaves in this context to prompt viewers to consider the ethics and root causes behind the sensational headlines. He also touches on postcolonial tensions: one scene pointedly has a Somali character criticize Hollywood’s Black Hawk Down for erasing Somali voices, a meta commentary on representation​. Despite Buckley’s earnest intent to center Somali perspectives, ultimately the narrative is filtered through Jay’s eyes. This choice garnered mixed reactions – while it offers Western audiences a relatable entry point, it also recenters the story on a white protagonist in an African setting. As one critic observed, the film is ostensibly about Somalia but “really all about a white guy” chasing journalistic glory in a postcolonial era​. Buckley seems aware of this dynamic and tries to mitigate it by giving the Somali characters agency and voice, but the tension between outsider and insider perspectives remains an underlying theme.

In terms of direction, Buckley balances the film’s tones as best he can, shifting from fish-out-of-water comedy to suspense and drama. At times the tonal transitions are jarring – a scene of Jay narrowly avoiding danger might be followed by a quirky animated aside – yet the film maintains an undercurrent of sincerity. The editing by Jay Nelson keeps the narrative coherent despite the detours, and the musical score (plus well-placed Somali songs and Western needle-drops) sets an engaging mood. If The Pirates of Somalia occasionally feels unsure whether it wants to be a hard-hitting political drama or a cheeky adventure comedy, that is a testament to Buckley’s attempt to capture the absurdity inherent in Bahadur’s true story. In the end, his direction delivers a unique collage of tones – not always seamless, but undoubtedly bold. Love it or question it, the film’s style sparks discussion about how true stories can be told.

Reception & Legacy

Upon release, The Pirates of Somalia received a mixed critical reception, with praise for its subject matter and performances tempered by criticism of its execution. Review aggregators reflect this divide: the film holds a middling 63% on Rotten Tomatoes and a score of 54/100 on Metacritic, indicating average reviews overall​. Critics generally admired the fresh angle the movie took on Somali piracy – portraying it through a journalist’s eyes and humanizing a oft-vilified culture – and many found the story inherently fascinating. Evan Peters and Barkhad Abdi’s performances were universally lauded, frequently cited as the movie’s strongest asset that “keeps it all on an even keel”​. The Los Angeles Times called the film an “engagingly performed take on recent world events,” even as it navigates “choppy tonal waters” in its storytelling​. The Hollywood Reporter similarly appreciated this lively true-life tale for deepening our understanding of a sensationalized topic, noting that it entertainingly adapts Bahadur’s nonfiction book while packing in a lot of information. Several critics also acknowledged the film’s courage in tackling complex themes like media ethics, failed state politics, and postcolonial critique within a single narrative.

On the flip side, many reviewers pointed out that the film’s tonal inconsistency and stylistic quirks hindered its impact. The blend of drama and comedy didn’t work for everyone – some felt the film veered into a “simplistic dramedy” that undercut its more serious exploration of Somalia​. The indulgence in fantasy sequences and fourth-wall bending gags was seen by detractors as the movie being a bit too pleased with itself, diluting the tension. RogerEbert.com’s critic, for instance, argued that many of the film’s playful flourishes (like the khat-fueled animated pirate raids) were “not as cute as [the film] thinks”​, and that Jay’s narrative overshadowed deeper insight into Somalia. Some critics also took issue with the white-savior undertones – the story at times centers Jay’s personal fulfillment over the Somali people’s reality, an imbalance that can feel outdated. Still, even mixed reviews often conceded that The Pirates of Somalia was well-intentioned and thought-provoking, just executed in a somewhat uneven manner​.

Audience reactions to the film were modest but generally positive. Given its limited release and niche subject, The Pirates of Somalia flew under the radar for mainstream audiences, but those who sought it out found it engaging. The film earned a decent 70% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, with viewers praising its informative story and the performances of Peters and Abdi. Many audience members were surprised by the touches of humor and found the film more entertaining than a straight documentary-style drama, though a few were unsure what to make of its tonal shifts. Commercially, the movie had a very limited theatrical run (primarily playing festivals and a few art-house cinemas) and quickly moved to video-on-demand; it did not make a significant box office dent, especially compared to 2013’s Captain Phillips. However, in the years since, The Pirates of Somalia has gained a bit of a cult following among viewers interested in global affairs and journalism. For some, it serves as an eye-opening companion piece to Captain Phillips – essentially the flipside of that story, focusing on understanding the pirates rather than just fearing them​.

In Somalia and among the Somali diaspora, the film’s legacy is more complicated. On one hand, it was applauded for actually casting Somali actors (like Abdi and others) and attempting to depict Somali characters with nuance and respect, a rarity in Hollywood​. The inclusion of Somali language dialogue and cultural references (such as poetry and the significance of clan elders) earned it some credibility. On the other hand, some Somali viewers and scholars have critiqued the movie for still filtering their story through a Western lens. They argue that The Pirates of Somalia strives for the same empathetic understanding that Captain Phillips touched on, but “does so without adding [sufficient] nuance and authentic representation”, ultimately yielding “a disinterested and wearisome portrayal of Somalis” for those craving a more insider view​. In essence, while the film made strides by giving Somalis more screen presence, it didn’t fully escape the shadow of telling their story from an outsider’s perspective. Nonetheless, the film has spurred conversations about journalistic responsibility and representation in storytelling. Jay Bahadur’s real-life saga remains noteworthy – in fact, the real Bahadur went on to advise governments on piracy and even served as a U.N. monitor on Somalia​, proving that understanding the “pirates’” world has tangible value. In that sense, the film’s existence itself contributes to Bahadur’s legacy of shining light on a misunderstood issue.

Final Verdict

The Pirates of Somalia is an engaging and offbeat true-story drama that offers a fresh perspective on a subject most viewers only know from news headlines. It’s part adventure, part biographical drama, and part media satire – an unusual mix that ultimately succeeds in humanizing a complex crisis, even if the journey is a bit tonally uneven. The heart of the film lies in the performances: Evan Peters makes Jay Bahadur an earnest and likable guide into this world, and Barkhad Abdi provides soul and authenticity, grounding the film when it risks drifting into whimsy. Director Bryan Buckley deserves credit for tackling weighty themes – journalistic ethics, cultural clashes, the legacy of colonialism – in a way that’s accessible and often darkly funny. He brings a Screen Rant-style flair for keeping things entertaining, whether through snappy narration or imaginative visuals, ensuring the film is never dull. At the same time, Buckley’s stylistic gambles are hit-or-miss, and the film sometimes struggles to reconcile its serious and comic elements.

Ultimately, The Pirates of Somalia earns a recommendation for viewers interested in real-life journalism adventures or stories that peel back the layers of a global issue. It’s a movie that will make you chuckle one moment and then think hard the next, as it pulls back the curtain on what drives men into piracy and what it takes for a young reporter to uncover the truth. While it may not have the polished tension of a Hollywood thriller, it compensates with thoughtfulness and a unique voice. This film’s legacy might not be one of blockbuster accolades, but it stands as a compelling tale of curiosity and courage on the fringes of the world. Final verdict: The Pirates of Somalia is a flawed yet fascinating voyage that, much like its daring protagonist, reaches beyond its limitations to find a story worth telling. It’s an insightful ride through the rogue waves of journalism and global ethics – and for all its imperfections, it’s a voyage well worth taking​