Ok yes, it’s true….I SHOULD be going to bed…I mean, I have to be up in less than 6 hours….but I honestly just couldn’t do it without getting the OTHER film review written for Sunday’s double feature. So, not going to mess around, just going to get started immediately with the new indie drama, “Kill The Messenger”.
SEE THE TRAILER HERE
Directed by Michael Cuesta and based on the true story via the books “Kill The Messenger” by Nick Schou and “Dark Alliance” by Gary Webb, the story brings us back to an initial montage of archival footage highlighting several past Presidents and their comments/speeches about how they would be tackling the war on drugs in the U.S.. The tale then comes forward to 1996, San Jose, CA, as we enter the fairly hectic life of reporter Gary Webb (Jeremy Renner) as he is initially shown interviewing an alleged drug dealer Ronald Quail (Robert Patrick) about the government seizure of his house and other personal property, of which Webb seems dubious about given this was done prior to any official trial or due process. We see that Webb has a family in wife Sue (Rosemarie Dewitt), daughter Christine (Parker Douglas), and sons Ian & Eric (Lucas Hedges & Matthew Lintz). We also get introduced to his job at the San Jose Mercury News, and his editor Anna Simons (Mary Elizabeth Winstead). While at the office one morning, he receives messages that a woman, Coral Baca (Paz Vega) has been trying to reach him. Once he calls her, she indicates that her boyfriend Rafael Cornejo (Aaron Farb), a drug dealer currently on trial, has information that indicates the CIA was allowing and funneling cocaine into the country through Rafael and his boss Danilo Blandon (Yul Vasquez), via being covered as U.S. government informants, in order to ultimately have it sold and then fund Contra fighters in Nicaragua. Trying to get the initial answers from Rafael’s lawyer, Russell Dodson (Barry Pepper), Webb realizes he may have the lead on one of the biggest stories he AND the country have seen in some time. After convincing Anna to let him dig into it, Webb starts finding those who were directly involved or have knowledge of what has been occurring, including a now-jailed former drug runner Ricky Ross (Michael Kenneth Williams), another drug runner in Nicaragua, Norwin Meneses (Andy Garcia), and a high-ranking government official Fred Weil (Michael Sheen), who warns him about getting too deep. As more and more evidence comes to light, and Webb compiles it all, his ultimate boss Jerry Ceppos (Oliver Platt) allows him to write and publish the story. Once it hits, Webb’s life begins to come apart, as many of the people indicted, not the least of which is the CIA, begin a massive smear campaign to discredit Webb, his research, and the validity of the whole story, risking everyone Webb has brought into the situation in various forms, including his family and his co-workers. Soon, it becomes all Webb can do to try and keep people convinced that what he’s found is true and that it is all he wants to do is tell that truth, no matter what the cost personally and professionally. There are a LOT of details going on and of course, I will NOT spoil those for you.
What always strikes me first about these “based on a true story” films, especially when it involves this level of scandal involving the government…..is that it IS based on a true story! It baffles my mind to see that our own CIA was KNOWLEDGEABLY working with drug runners and dealers to bring in absurd amounts of cocaine, which ended up on the streets of our country, sold, and then taking the funds in order to fund the Contra fighters in Nicaragua. It’s just scary and sad to see that a concept like this which sounds like it’s FROM a movie ACTUALLY happened. And then likewise seeing the effect it ended up having on Webb as portrayed by Jeremy Renner is just as unsettling, as he put himself out there as a reporter to find the truth, but in doing so for THIS story…it put everything he was as a person in doubt because of the smear campaign that got initiated against him, and it cost him a very high price. This film is VERY well done, and Renner excels as Webb, realistically bringing every moment of both victory and desperation to vivid, raw, emotional life in his delivery. You cannot help but FEEL for this guy as his choice to make something out of the shocking facts he uncovers end up becoming the SAME facts that causes him to lose everything for the sake OF the truth he so believes in telling. Great supporting roles by a who’s who of actors, as you can see in my review above, and each has their moment or moments to bring something to the table with their characters. A solid music score helps to bring the necessary tension to the proceedings. But again, it truly is Renner’s performance here that just shines SO well, and this is another example of WHY I love indie films so much, as these actors truly get the chance TO act and drive the story via sheer excellence in drawing us into the story. The only content warning is strictly for language, as honestly, I was expecting anyway. This is a story that hits home, another circumstance that puts a spotlight on our own government, and honestly does make you wonder how much MORE of this type of “unknown to the public” scenarios are taking place. Scary thought, and as this depiction illustrates, a scary reality. A fine indie film and well worth seeing.
As always, this is all for YOUR consideration and comment. Until next time, thank you for reading!
