Cuesta’s Kill the Messenger Takes Jeremy Renner Closer to an Academy Award

Rating:

I am in no position to comment on the veracity of the events depicted in Kill the Messenger, and so I will refrain from passing any judgment. Here is what I felt about the movie from a cinematic point of view.

Kill the Messenger is about Gary Webb’s years working as an investigative journalist for the San Jose Mercury News. His fiery story, the “Dark Alliance,” published in 1996 stirred up a hornet’s nest. In this series of articles, Gary Webb wrote that the Contras, a Nicaraguan rebel group, were funded by the CIA with money accrued by allowing cocaine to be smuggled into and distributed in the US.

Jeremy Renner, who plays Gary Webb, gets a chance to flaunt his acting skills in the role of a lifetime. He manages to get under the skin of the character with aplomb. Exuding arrogance and frustration of a man whose job, life and safety of his family are at stake after he has ruffled more than a few feathers with his feisty reportage, Jeremy Renner is outstanding. Having said that, Oliver Platt, who plays the newspaper’s publisher Jerry Ceppos, and Mary Elizabeth Winstead, who is the editor, Anna Simons, are equally impressive. Rosemarie DeWitt, who portrays Gary’s wife, Susan, brings out the strength and vulnerability of her character with an unassuming nonchalance. Seen in brief roles are seasoned actors Andy Garcia and Ray Liotta. They add to the star quotient of the movie while impressing with their acting talent. The rest of the supporting cast, of which there are too many to mention here, also deliver credible performances.

Michael Cuesta’s gutsy direction keeps you on the edge of your seat. The story gradually draws you in and then when you are completely awed by it leaves you wanting for some more. The mark of any good movie is that it makes you think about its characters and story long after the end credits have played out. Kill the Messenger most certainly achieves this.

I will recommend that you watch Kill the Messenger for its masterful direction, engaging performances and above all a compelling story. Even if you know nothing about the “Dark Alliance” or the crack epidemic, you will still be glad that you decided to watch this movie.