Based on a bestselling memoir, Backstabbing for Beginners reveals the remarkable story behind one of the biggest modern political scandals. The film follows a young idealistic UN diplomat who’s assigned to assist in the Iraq Oil for Food program, but he soon discovers that there’s wide scale corruption. Starring Theo James and Ben Kingsley, the film has a pretty good cast that delivers strong performances. James and Kingsley have especially good chemistry, particularly in their tête-à-têtes about the realities of politics and diplomacy, which also speaks to the strength of the script in how it discusses the types of corruption that were going on and the moral compromises that were being made for “the greater good.” However, at times it is a little vague about the deals being struck and who’s on which side. Yet despite some problems, Backstabbing for Beginners is a compelling true life story.