I saw Kill the Messenger. It was good, but very bleak, about politics and journalism and what happens when a journalist gets smeared in the media by the C.I.A. when he uncovers uncomfortable confidential information about them. In this case, it is uncovering of the C.I.A. financially backing drug smugglers from Nicaragua in order to fund weapons for their side of the country's civil war in the 1980s.
Renner (who has been twice-nominated for an Academy Award and really should get one someday) stars as Gary Webb, a real-life journalist who uncovered this story in 1996, and the C.I.A. discredited him, previous leads changed their stories, and the media made him look like a fraud. The movie portrayed Webb fairly, showing him as both a loving family man and a self-righteous investigative reporter. I found the story fascinating, and while some big-name stars in the trailer only made cameos (Andy Garcia, Ray Liotta), I still thought it had a good and strong cast, a lot of character actors and older familiar faces. I really like Mary Elizabeth Winstead, who played Webb's editor. I've seen her in a lot of movies, and I like how she disappears into each role she's in. She is an underrated versatile talent. My aunt Beth played her mom in Faults, a movie about a young woman in a cult, and just raved about her.
I also really
liked the director Michael Cuesta's previous movies, L.I.E. and Roadie,
this is probably his biggest movie yet. He has a talent for small dramas
about regular people, set on Long Island or Queens, and I was happy to
see his name on this picture. I enjoyed the movie, though I wouldn't
call it great. I just think it is very good, full of talented actors and
an interesting story.
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