'Kill the Messenger' is the true story of journalist Gary Webb (Jeremy Rener) who experiences a bitter smear campaign after he writes the biggest story of his career- a shocking expose about a U.S security agency. Now, the intentions behind the movie are laudable. The story definitely deserves the reach Hollywood has and the filmmakers resist the temptations of hyperbole and clichés. It is also, for the most part, engaging, especially the second half.
However, the more I think about it, the more it seems to be an opportunity lost. This is the kind of film that the Academy loves, but I'll be extremely surprised if it is even considered for the big awards at the Oscars.
For me, the flaws were obvious-the first half of the film. Now, I'm not quite sure what the filmmakers were trying to do there. Was it a conspirancy thriller? Was it about the journalistic process or the information? It just went through everything a little too quickly and superficially for either to be effective, but not quickly or superficially enough to provide just the backstory. It's too long and not good enough (to be fair- not good enough doesn't mean bad.)
Perhaps the intention was the same as it was during the second half- to tell us the account of Gary Webb. Even so, it wasn't as effective- Jeremy Renner didn't do a great job and there were too many distractions for the viewer.
In the second half, once the sh** hits the fan, both Renner and the movie come alive. Now, the focus is singular- as someone said during the movie, 'It's about you, not your story'. And Renner revels in that focus- playing the part of a harassed, threatened and accused father with an intensity that pervades into the film.
There was also a distinct authenticity and realism about the film, especially about the ending- it was refreshing to see the director resisting the temptation to end on a high note. But overall, this is a film that will probably fall through the cracks- too serious for many and probably not good enough for the serious.
But hey, the truth is finally being told- on a huge scale. And that's all Gary Webb seemed to care about.
However, the more I think about it, the more it seems to be an opportunity lost. This is the kind of film that the Academy loves, but I'll be extremely surprised if it is even considered for the big awards at the Oscars.
For me, the flaws were obvious-the first half of the film. Now, I'm not quite sure what the filmmakers were trying to do there. Was it a conspirancy thriller? Was it about the journalistic process or the information? It just went through everything a little too quickly and superficially for either to be effective, but not quickly or superficially enough to provide just the backstory. It's too long and not good enough (to be fair- not good enough doesn't mean bad.)
Perhaps the intention was the same as it was during the second half- to tell us the account of Gary Webb. Even so, it wasn't as effective- Jeremy Renner didn't do a great job and there were too many distractions for the viewer.
In the second half, once the sh** hits the fan, both Renner and the movie come alive. Now, the focus is singular- as someone said during the movie, 'It's about you, not your story'. And Renner revels in that focus- playing the part of a harassed, threatened and accused father with an intensity that pervades into the film.
There was also a distinct authenticity and realism about the film, especially about the ending- it was refreshing to see the director resisting the temptation to end on a high note. But overall, this is a film that will probably fall through the cracks- too serious for many and probably not good enough for the serious.
But hey, the truth is finally being told- on a huge scale. And that's all Gary Webb seemed to care about.
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