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In reply to the discussion: Jeremy Renner Ready To ‘Kill The Messenger’ In Film About CIA-Smeared Journo Gary Webb [View all]777man
(374 posts)'Kill the Messenger' asks some good questions
Matt Pais movie review: 'Kill the Messenger'
http://www.redeyechicago.com/entertainment/movies/redeye-kill-the-messenger-asks-some-good-questions-20141006,0,6268960.column
'Kill the Messenger'
'Kill the Messenger' (October 6, 2014)
Matt Pais, @mattpais RedEye movie critic
12:00 a.m. CDT, October 9, 2014
*** (out of four)
The real-life-based investigative journalism tale Kill the Messenger is no All the Presidents Men, but its got quite a story: In the late 90s, San Jose Mercury News reporter Gary Webb (a well-cast Jeremy Renner) uncovered a shocking link between drug dealers in America, the CIA and war in Nicaragua in the 80s. His story blows the minds of his editor (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) and her boss (Oliver Platt) and earns him national attention. That includes resentment from papers like the Los Angeles Times that were scooped.
But theres a lot more to it. Helmed by Michael Cuesta (who also directed the great, little-seen 12 and Holding, also starring Renner) and adapted by Peter Landesman from Nick Shous book of the same name and Webbs Dark Alliance, Kill the Messenger is about how easily a big story can break a journalist and turn a reporter into the news. Suddenly Webb goes from hero to target as sources change their story and hes transferred to a rinky-dink operation where he reports on a constipated police horse. To an extent, the movie seems to cloud the issue that Webbs story, at least as depicted here, does seem to have been compiled largely from claims by people in jail without corroborating evidence to cross the necessary Ts. (He tries to get a CIA source, but isnt surprised that he cant.)
Or maybe it allows this engrossing drama to show how pulling a string can unravel the world. No journalist would say that its legitimate to print an incomplete investigation, poking a giant and hoping it falls down. But Kill the Messenger demonstrates how misinformation and limited public memory impact the news cycle no matter the facts.
Frequently typecast as a drug dealer, Michael K. Williams (The Wire) gets a laugh when he tells Webb, I gave him $6 million a week ... allegedly, and, as a California prosecutor, Barry Pepper makes a good sleaze. The movie accurately depicts daily paper operations, talking about the work in a non-glamorous way. Fully reported or not, Webbs story reflects a willingness to sniff a fresh trail and stay with it.
With so many peoples instinct to run when things get hardthis also appears in Webbs personal life, regarding he and his wifes (Rosemarie DeWitt) decision to move from Ohio to Californiahaving the guts to walk into the storm has to count for something.
Watch Matt review the week's big new movies Fridays at 11:30 a.m. on NBC.
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