"The Truth" (2015 release; 122 min.) brings the story of the infamous CBS 60 Minutes 2004 segment on then-President George W. Bush's track record at the Texas Air National Guard, and more specifically whether he got preferential treatment from officials, allowing him to avoid having to serve in Vietnam. CBS anchor Dan Rather (played by Robert Redford) and producer Mary Mapes (played by Cate Blanchett) quickly find themselves on the hot seat, as it appears there are issues with the authenticity of certain documents used in the 60 Minutes segment. To tell you more would spoil your viewing experience, you'll just have to see for yourself how it all plays out.
Couple of comments: first, this movie is bound to be divisive. I personally don't care much one way or another. I vaguely remembered these events, but certainly not the details as they are displayed here. Whether those details are accurate is impossible to tell. Why? Because this is not an objective, independent movie. It isn't until the end credits role that we are informed that the movie's script is adapted from Mary Mapes' book "Truth and Duty: The Press, the President, and the Privilege of Power". In other words: this is the truth according to Mary Mapes. All that aside: is the movie any good? And the answer is: yes, but... It is "yes" because Cate Blanchett (as Mary Mapes) gives a towering performance, as if she WILLS the movie to be good. It is "yes, but" because the movie, while at times engaging, is not nearly as good as other investigative journalism movies (such as "All The Presidents Men", still the gold standard, or that other recent release, "Spotlight"). Bottom line, as Mapes and hew crew exclaim: FEA!!!
"Truth" opened this weekend, and the Friday evening screening where I saw this at here in Cincinnati was attended okay, although I had expected a bigger crowd, this being the first day it was showing. If you can get over the fact that this is "the world according to Mary Mapes", I'd recommend you check this out, be it in the theater, or on VOD, or eventually on DVD/Blu-ray, and draw your own conclusions.
Couple of comments: first, this movie is bound to be divisive. I personally don't care much one way or another. I vaguely remembered these events, but certainly not the details as they are displayed here. Whether those details are accurate is impossible to tell. Why? Because this is not an objective, independent movie. It isn't until the end credits role that we are informed that the movie's script is adapted from Mary Mapes' book "Truth and Duty: The Press, the President, and the Privilege of Power". In other words: this is the truth according to Mary Mapes. All that aside: is the movie any good? And the answer is: yes, but... It is "yes" because Cate Blanchett (as Mary Mapes) gives a towering performance, as if she WILLS the movie to be good. It is "yes, but" because the movie, while at times engaging, is not nearly as good as other investigative journalism movies (such as "All The Presidents Men", still the gold standard, or that other recent release, "Spotlight"). Bottom line, as Mapes and hew crew exclaim: FEA!!!
"Truth" opened this weekend, and the Friday evening screening where I saw this at here in Cincinnati was attended okay, although I had expected a bigger crowd, this being the first day it was showing. If you can get over the fact that this is "the world according to Mary Mapes", I'd recommend you check this out, be it in the theater, or on VOD, or eventually on DVD/Blu-ray, and draw your own conclusions.