Photo courtesy of Savannah Film Fest
Written by Rummel Medina
In 2004 CBS’s show “60 Minutes” began an investigation into the then-president George W. Bush’s questionable military service. But the rise of internet discussion boards and political influence over network television lead to a counter-investigation into the legitimacy of the report put together by Mary Mapes and her team. In this Biographical-Drama, James Vanderbilt shows the struggle faced by Mapes (Cate Blanchet) and her partner/role model Dan Rather (Robert Redford) as they put together the report, only to be faced with the backlash of opposing Bush during the election.
The overall theme of the film brings up the debate of job integrity versus moral values. As the initial reports of Bush’s potential absence from service started to come to light, we see Mape’s struggle to relay the truth without seeming biased towards Bush. This is justified by being a “liberal feminist” in the field (in the eyes of CBS and Conservatives). However, once the story is released to the public, the potential illegitimacy causes Mapes to stand her ground and make sure the potential truth of the report isn’t lost in the scandal.
Cate Blanchet’s performance as Mary Mapes is captivating to say the least. Every moment she has on screen she absolutely steals the show. As the film progresses we learn more about Mape’s past and Blanchet conveys depth in her character. And when she stands tall against opposition, we see the true sense of accomplishment she feels after dealing with an abusive father and her career in a male-dominated industry.
But Blanchet is not the only big name in this film, and definitely not the only talented one. Co-lead Robert Redford’s performance as Dan Rather captures the will and conviction that the journalist was known for. There’s also the completely out of left field performance from “That 70’s Show” former actor Topher Grace as Mike Smith, the voice of the next generation of journalists. His slightly left-centered mentality, and his knowledge of corruption and internet influence serves to show more of the changing environment in the media.
Because it is a biopic, “Truth” doesn’t have a standard “cookie-cutter” ending that we come to expect in a little versus big guys film. If you know the story of Mary Mapes (or the outcome of the 2004 elections), it’s clear that it isn’t necessarily a happy ending for this team of reporters. And yet the film doesn’t leave us feeling defeated. There is a sense of hope for the next generation to get it right. And although they didn’t win on paper, they won a different kind of battle by sticking to their morals
The only downsides to these films are in all the characters and the forced resolutions. “Truth” does a great job of showing you how most problems are resolved, by having everyone in the film get their “aha” moment. But there are too many characters that are not given enough screen time to really deserve that moment. More specifically, Dennis Quaid’s L.T. Colonel Rogers Charles and Elisabeth Moss’ Lucy Scott. Still, it does not take away from the final message or the real standout performances.
So if you have any interest in films about journalism, politics, or those with strong and in-depth characters (especially a female lead) then you should definitely see “Truth.”
