Monday, July 27, 2015

Kill the Messenger 2014


Kill The Messenger     This film is based on the true story of Mercury News journalist Gary Webb.  He learned about the CIA’s role in arming the Contra rebels in Nicaragua and the importing of cocaine into California.  He wrote a series of newspaper articles on this subject and he became the target of a smear campaign by the U.S. Government.  Attacking him personally diverted attention from the reports and caused doubts about the validity of the article.
     Even in this country, there is personal risk surrounding exposing information that people want to keep a secret.  They feel the only way to discredit the facts you have brought to light is to open every possible can of worms in the personal life of the reporter.  The person is not safe and their family is not either.  Valarie Plame found this out when she was singled out as a CIA operative as portrayed in Fair Game of 2010.  Her family needed protection, she was not given this and she was out of a job.  The people she worked with in foreign countries were also without protection, which cost them their lives.  3* (This movie is OK)

112 min, Bio directed by Michael Cuesta with Jeremy Renner, Rosemarie DeWitt, Robert Patrick, Jena Sims, Robert Pralgo, Hajji Golightly, Ted Huckabee, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Lucas Hedges, Matt Lintz.

Note:  Imdb 7.0 out of 10, 77% critic 70% audience on Rotten Tomatoes, Roger Ebert 3*.
Special Note:  At the end of the film, there is a short video showing the real Gary Webb at home with his children.  Webb wrote a book published in 1998 and a revised version published in 1999. 







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