Gandolfini stars in ‘In the Loop’

Movie: "In the Loop"

When: Opening Friday at the Palms

Cast: James Gandolfini, Peter Capaldi, Tom Hollander, Gina McKee, David Rasche, Mimi Kennedy

Director: Armando Iannucci

The story: As the U.S. and British governments prepare to invade an unidentified Middle Eastern country (think Iraq), a variety of Anglo-American officials become caught up in the push toward war, from a dovish U.S. general (Gandolfini) to an expletive-undeleting British press secretary (Capaldi).

The buzz: Part of the ongoing CineVegas screening series at the Palms' Brenden Theatres, this acclaimed political satire (from the creator of the BBC's mock-doc series "The Thick of It") reintroduces U.S. audiences to a few performers they haven't seen in a while, from Anna Chlumsky (all grown up, 18 years after "My Girl") to Capaldi, whom you may remember wandering a Scottish beach in 1983's magical "Local Hero."