16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Drama Based on Newspaper Headlines, May 23, 2009
"Nothing But the Truth" is based on the events surrounding the prison sentence of "New York Times" reporter Judith Miller after she refused to reveal the source who identified undercover CIA agent Valerie Plame.
Prompted by a failed assassination attempt on the President of the United States, investigative reporter Rachel Armstrong (Kate Beckinsale) discovers that a neighborhood woman is a CIA operative. Rachel believes she has happened upon the Big Story, and is backed by her editor (Angela Bassett), the newspaper's legal counsel (Noah Wyle), and her First Amendment lawyer (Alan Alda). Federal prosecutor Patton Dubois (Matt Dillon) wants her to name her sources. She refuses and is thrown in jail for contempt of court. She thinks she will soon be released, but as her incarceration lengthens, her relationship with husband (David Schwimmer) and son (Preston Bailey) starts to deteriorate.
Performances are first-rate in this tense political thriller. Beckinsale is sympathetic as the idealistic yet frightened reporter, but Dillon dazzles as the Javert-like Fed who will use anything and everything within his power to break the reporter's will. The changing relationship between Rachel and her family gives the film humanity and elevates it from a mere "ripped from the headlines" flick to one of depth.
Bonus extras include deleted scenes, a making-of featurette, and filmmakers' commentary.
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13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Must-see DVD, April 16, 2009
The smart, engrossing political thriller in the tradition of All the President's Men has a welcome female twist: two working mommies -- one a DC journalist (Kate Beckinsale), one a CIA agent (Vera Farmiga) -- cross paths on their kids' soccer field with disastrous results. Beckinsale clearly doesn't need a rubber catsuit to be terrific; she's focused, genuine, and sympathetic as the investigative reporter whose first big scoop crumples the career and family of her spook subject, with plenty of collateral damage in her own life when she goes to prison for withholding her source's name. And The Departed's Farmiga balances between dangerous adversary and wounded mother in a volatile supporting role.
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15 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
What most other commentaries missed, September 7, 2009
**This entire comment is a SPOILER and best not to be read if you have not seen the movie or if you intend to see it.**
Throughout the movie, controversy is raised by lines being drawn between duty, occupation, integrity, and simple human decency. Sometimes these lines are crossed, depending on your point of view. Nonetheless, the viewer is looking for a strong protagonist and antagonist, which is not revealed and this is frustrating.
Most of the reviews I've read have completely misinterpreted the ending. They think it was based on the integrity of journalist confidentiality, the 1st amendment, etc. This may be because the entire movie, indeed, seemed to be about these things. All the way up to a very moving supreme court speech. So stirring that it might even persuade some viewers who were against the jailed reporter to turn to her side. It is, however, the misunderstanding of the astonishing ending which leaves viewers with a feeling of absurdity and a incorrect overall conclusion upon which many commentaries are based.
In fact, the ending made it quite clear what was going on the entire time. It also brought out who the antagonist was hands down. The movie portrays what happens when an irresponsible opportunistic journalist, in a highly responsible position, stumbles into two sources (the main source is an elementary school girl, who is the daughter of the woman she is going to expose; and a drunken high official semi-corroborator who agrees to go on record). This hand dealt to her tempts her to write a story of Pulitzer caliber.
The journalist arrogantly believes that she is untouchable if her story goes to press and sloughs off the warnings of the in-house advisor. Her INITIAL resolve to protect her little girl source is boosted by a highly-reputable lawyer who assures her things won't get that bad; and, a sense of glory-seeking attitude. When things don't work out that way, a mother/CIA operative is murdered, families are broken up, national spotlights are in place, and Pulitzer nominations are given. (And, here is where other commentaries have missed it). Her FINAL resolve to protect her source, however, is quite different. At this point, revealing her true source would actually bring great ridicule and humiliation to this journalist. She even lies about the life-long consequences to her source (a child) should she be exposed.
In the end, things have gotten so bad for the, now criminalized, journalist that the consequences of revealing her young naïve source, who would never have been prosecuted in the first place, pales by comparison to the alternative of years of imprisonment. She buckles and gives in. The resulting national ridicule on this person is left to your imagination.
The ending of the movie is someone analogous to the feelings that the students, parents, and teachers end up with in the movie, "The World's Greatest Dad", starring Robin Williams. This is not a spoiler because I am referring to the fictitious players in the movie. The viewers already know the real story. Nevertheless, both movies leave you with a huge pointless feeling.
This really was a great movie and well played, especially by Matt Damon and the Antagonist, who really come across a bit callous. But, I am only giving it 2 stars because, like "Groundhog Day," another all-time great movie, it was not written well enough for most people to "get it."
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