In a world dominated by sensationalist news, Kill The Messenger is part biopic part political thriller part ethically charged drama, that follows the story of investigative journalist Gary Webb and his attempts at uncovering the US Government and CIA’s involvement with Nicaraguan drug cartels. Adapted from the book of the same name by Nick Schou as well as Webb’s own written series Dark Alliance this film challenges the notion of media and reporting the truth and how far the Government is willing to go to protect its secrets.
Back in the mid 90’s investigative journalist Gary Webb (Jeremy Renner) was a reputable writer for the San Jose Mercury News cutting his teeth on stories about drug dealers whose houses were being illegally confiscated by the Government. After being given a lead detailing the CIA’s involvement in a drug and arms conspiracy connecting the Nicaraguan Contra rebels and the importation of cocaine into the US to fund the Contras illegal activities, Webb goes on a mission to uncover and reveal the truth. With the stubbornness of a bulldog he proceeds to track down one by one some of the players involved to get their side of the story and the size of the conspiracy grows ever larger. His editor Anna Simons (brilliantly filled by Mary Elizabeth Winstead) is cautiously interested whilst the paper’s chief Jerry Ceppos (an underused Oliver Platt) is keen for a scoop. Even when Webb is warned off by government official Fred Weil (Michael Sheen) stating that “some stories are too true to tell” he doesn’t back down. All of this happens in the first movement of the film where we get a building sense of intrigue, suspicion and paranoia.
Director Michael Cuesta is best known for his work on TV series Homeland and he’s managed to bring that political and spy thriller ethos onto the big screen with this film. So much happens in the first half of the film that you barely realise that it’s already halfway done. Script writer Peter Landesman does a brilliant job of keeping the pace moving so that our journey with Webb never seems to drag. The film is interspersed with actual news footage of the time, reminding us that this movie has its roots in truth. The second half of the film changes gear, slowing down and reflecting on the consequences of Webb’s actions. Once his story breaks the initial elation and congratulations on his journalist of the year award are quickly swept aside, his journalist colleagues are skeptical of his material and competing well recognised newspapers lambast him for reckless one-sided reporting. The pressure takes its toll as his family becomes fractured and he ends up being shunted to a backwoods office to keep out of the way. Despite all of this though Webb continues his fight for the truth and as the final title card rolls we’re told he committed suicide by two gunshots to the head, so it could be said that the story even took his life. The noticeable change in feel and tone makes the second half of the film feel a little sluggish compared to the first, so it does lose a little traction, but in all honesty it feels more like a change in mood than anything.
You could mistake this film for possibly making Webb seem like a pariah and putting him on a pedestal as a hero. There’s no denying that whistleblowers to Government conspiracies like Julian Assange and Edward Snowden have captured our attention particularly in recent times. So it’s surprising that Webb’s name wasn’t more infamous, but that could have been a combination of the large scale media hosing him down, as well as when evidence came to light that vindicated his story it coincidentally was at the same time as the Clinton/Lewinsky political scandal. But this film at the very least, serves to recognize his efforts posthumously, whether you choose to agree with the morality and ethics of it or not.
Renner is at his dramatic finest here portraying Webb, and even though more recently he’s pumped out a few popcorn action films, this role and this film once again shows he’s got the acting chops to take on much more character driven and intense roles. The film takes us on Webb’s journey and we are right there with him for the highs and the lows and none of this would feel convincing if it wasn’t for Renner’s depiction. Mary Elizabeth Winstead is also outstanding, as the editor trying to toe the line and keep her headstrong journalist in check. She’s stern when she needs to be but mostly likeable and a believable boss-figure. Another standout, albeit ever so briefly is that of Lucas Hedges as the eldest Webb son, Ian. There is a not so subtle but moving pair of scenes in the film that demonstrate how profoundly Webb’s work impacted his family, and really at the end of it all, he was still simply just a man doing his job. The heartbreaking thing was the fallout that struck the family. Aside from Oliver Platt and Michael Sheen, another heavy hitter Andy Garcia also features, however all of these strong actors only show up temporarily and so they serve merely as a brief glimmer onscreen.
As the news becomes more and more about sensationalist reporting, and less about real hard-hitting investigation, we need to ask ourselves where do we draw the line at revealing that truth and should our Governments be accountable? Kill The Messenger is a stark reminder of our need for truth but the dangerous cost at which it can come.
Review Score: THREE AND A HALF STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Running Time: 112 minutes
Kill The Messenger is out nationally 30 October 2014 through Transmission Films
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