She said is a hard-hitting and thought-provoking new film that is garnering multiple awards. Featuring Carey Mulligan and Zoe KazanMore, Maria Schraderthe film depicts the New York Times investigation into the sexual misconduct in Hollywood that started the #MeToo movement. Journalism matters at all times in history, but methods of investigation and writing have changed and redeveloped over time. This is probably why stories about dedicated and relentless investigative journalists are rare these days.
These days and decades past, there are films about individuals and teams of journalists who would stop at nothing to uncover the truth. They were often biographical films inspired by real events. For anyone who loved the dedication and performance of She saidthere may be other interesting films.
“She Said” (2022)
She said covers the investigation behind Harvey Weinstein’s accusations. Two brave journalists, Megan Twohey (Carey Mulligan) and Jodi Kantor (Zoe Kazan) embark on a harrowing journey to find out everything they can about the first victims of Weinstein’s assaults, including the deals made with them.
As Twohey and Kantor delve deeper into the matter, their emotions begin to take over. Mulligan’s and Kazan’s portrayals carry a lot of emotional weight; in the film, their characters both have daughters and sympathize with the women they interview. This strong film also earned Carey Mulligan her well-deserved Best Actress nominations at numerous award ceremonies.
‘Spotlight’ (2015)
Projector was the Best Picture winner at the 2016 Oscars, which rocked audiences after winning strong films like The ghost and Bedroom. Although these two features garner more audience views, Projector delves into serious, real-life events that shook audiences when they were first uncovered.
The film revolves around the journalist Mike Rezendes (Marc Ruffalo) and his colleagues from The Boston Globe, digging into child abuse cases in the Catholic Church. In Projector, Rezendes reunites with former victims of abuse, trying to get them to record to talk about what happened to them. He and his team uncover decades of systemic abuse, opening the public’s eyes and bringing the problem into the spotlight.
“All the President’s Men” (1976)
Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman star in the intense and gripping drama-thriller All the President’s Men as journalists Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein seeking details regarding the Watergate scandal. They are journalists for The Washington Post, and first notice something wrong after a break-in at Democratic Party headquarters.
After investigating the case further, Woodward and Bernstein discover that they may have opened a Pandora’s box of secrets regarding the election. Alan J. Growing Up in the director’s chair brought magic to the big screen like no one else could at the time; his management of Redford and Hoffman showed fantastic chemistry. The intensity of the story makes this film a cult classic, but also historical proof of a quest for justice.
“The Post” (2017)
Steven Spielberg always manages to bring different worlds and times to life, but with The post office, it also helped viewers see how the Pentagon Papers reveal happened. Not only did he use real-life documents and voice tapes, but he rushed to film and edit the film in 2017 when the American (and global) political climate stood on shaky legs.
In The post officethe fantastic Meryl Streep rooms The Washington Post’its first director, Kay Graham; at his side, the journalist in charge of discovering the papers, Ben Bradlee is played by none other than tom hank. It’s not just a gripping story about an event that changed American democracy; it’s also an acting and directing masterclass in many ways.
“Live from Baghdad” (2002)
Live from Baghdad covers the story behind CNN’s live reporting from Iraq in the 1990s. CNN editor and reporter, Robert Wiener (Michael Keaton) convinces his superiors to let him travel with a team of journalists to Iraq and cover events and the latest news.
This decision by Wiener solidified CNN as a respectable investigative establishment at the time, but the film itself was not based on the choice of sides. Live from Baghdad stands out as a feature film that shows not only the events between the two countries, but the struggle of journalists to adapt to a different culture and experience historic moments while remaining neutral.
‘Whisky Tango Foxtrot’ (2016)
This Tina Fey is a clever mix of comedy and drama, although the events of the film are based on real life. The journalist Kim Barker wrote a memoir, which was developed into a feature film in which Tina Fey plays her. Barker reported from Afghanistan in 2003, during the war, and spent three months in the field.
The story isn’t just about spending time in war-torn territory; it also shows how far dedication goes and what it does to a person. In the film, viewers can see Fey’s character begin to lose touch with her former life and home, while being overly drawn to her reporting. Whiskey Tango Foxtrot dives into comedy with wisdom and subtlety, making the whole journey more interesting rather than less serious.
“The Killing Fields” (1984)
Sam Waterton and Haing S. Ngor Play as a team of American and Cambodian journalists reporting on the tyranny of Pol Pot during the Cambodian Civil War. This heavy drama depicts the events of the Khmer Rouge regime, but curiously, the supporting actor, Haing S. Ngor is not a professional. Additionally, he had direct experience of the Civil War and fled when it happened.
Ngor is said to have had several terrifying flashbacks during filming, and his portrayal of real-life reporter Dith Pran is one of cinema’s most powerful. Besides him and Waterston, the stellar cast includes John Malkovich and Julien Sands. The Killing Fields remains among the most impactful journalism films and unofficially among the best war films of all time.
“Frost/Nixon” (2008)
This clever, well-written and fantastically acted film revolves around the real-life interview between British TV host David Frost (Michael Sheen) and former US President, Richard Nixon (Frank Langelle). It’s one of the best depictions of historical events, packed into a rather tense and thought-provoking 120 minutes.
Frost/Nixon depicts Richard Nixon’s determination to come before the public and answer all the burning questions about his presidency. However, he lays down the conditions and decides that his favorite journalist is the British showman David Frost. Since Frost was unaccustomed to such content, the audience, including Nixon, expected little from the interview. However, Frost came prepared, and Michael Sheen delivered one of his best big-screen performances yet.
“The Insider” (1999)
In one of the most pivotal stories of all time, Jeff Wigandplayed here by Russell Crowe, becomes a whistleblower, revealing that tobacco companies have always been aware of the dangers of smoking. Wigand is initially reluctant to speak, but with some persuasion from the clever journalist and producer Lowell Bergmanplayed by Al PacinoWigand finally decides to appear on 60 minutes.
The film shows how Jeff Wigand’s life was turned upside down by revealing the truth. It’s hard to imagine a pack of cigarettes without warning these days, but back then it was a well-hidden secret. Interestingly, when Wigand accepted Michael man to direct his story, he requested that no cigarettes appear in the film as one of his terms of cooperation.
‘Zodiac’ (2007)
One of David FincherThe review’s most successful features are also not what many would expect from his work. Even though Zodiac directly tackles the hunt for the Zodiac killer, who terrorized the San Francisco Bay Area in the late 1960s and early 1970s, it’s not about showing horrific and bloody murders.
Zodiac is, in fact, a tense and disturbing thriller about journalists (Jake Gyllenhaal and Robert Downey Jr.) teaming up with the police to uncover the identity of the killer. This long but engrossing film depicts a fantastic dedication to obtaining justice. Interestingly, the Zodiac killer investigation was reopened after the film’s release; on top of that, Fincher and his team investigated the case for 18 months before filming began.
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