Nothing But the Truth

FIRST... Let us FOCUS on the Title's Content and Context!

From the very onset, via a blink of an eye assassination attempt on the U. S. President, TRUTH gets a headlock on your psyche and doesn't let go. It manages to be both extremely entertaining and thought-provoking, tackling perhaps one of the most important issues facing Americans in the 21st century: Balancing the First Amendment Right of journalists to protect the confidentiality of their sources against the government's right to guarantee Ntional Security during wartime!!! And it manages to do so in a very unpretentious way, without any of the In-Your-Face preaching so often found in films dealing with this topic.

KUDOS to Rod Luries taut and low-key direction coaxing a remarkable ensemble performance from a truly stellar cast!

Kate Becksinsale shines as an unshakeable journalist who refuses to buckle under constantly mounting Federal pressure to coerce her into revealing her source. Vera Farmiga (who never caught my attention before) delivers a solid performance as the outted CIA agent at the center of a firestorm. For Matt Dillon fans, an interesting note: His performance as the Special Prosecutor hand-picked by the President to find the Traitor Tout Suite is a laudable departure from his usual tough-guy/low-life roles!.

Rounding out this genuinely outstanding cast are, Angela Basset, Alan Alda, Edie Falco and David Schwimmer. There is one final element to mention that adds a potent punch to TRUTH, but any details would be a SP**LER, so....when you see it, you WILL know!!!

(9********* Stars) ENJOY! / DISFURTELA!

Any comments, questions or observations, in English o en Español, are most welcome!

After a Presidential assassination attempt, he orders an attack against Venezuela. Columnist Rachel Armstrong (Kate Beckinsale) writes that the President ignored CIA operative Erica Van Doren (Vera Farmiga) when ordering the attack. The media descends on Erica and her life is turned upside down. The government moves to force Rachel to name her secret source. She refuses and is jailed for contempt.

Of course, it's a ripped-from-the-headlines kind of story. They make sure to say that this is fictional. Writer/director Rod Lurie does a reasonable job but this has a bit too much TV movie feel. Maybe he should have not copied so much from the headlines. There are big enough actors involved but it needs big cinematic flourishes. I won't give any spoilers, but I do love the big reveal at the end.

Kate Beckinsale, Vera Farmiga, Alan Alda, Matt Dilon. Such great cast alone was enough "quality stamp" for me to get me interested in this film. I must say Nothing But The Truth has exceeded my expectations many times over.

Based on a true story, the basic plot line has close focus on a reporter of a Washington D.C. major newspaper Rachel Armstrong (Kate Beckinsale) who after writing an article on the US president's actions revealing the identity of a secret CIA agent Erica Van Doren (Vera Farmiga) is being pressured to reveal her secret source by the government in such ways she could never have imagined.

The story flows flawlessly, picks up nicely and slowly drags you into a twist of controversial emotions, drawing the characters with all their pros and cons and letting you slowly get acquainted with their moral inner fights.

Beckinsale and Farmiga have a great energy between them that will have you forget you're watching a movie and catch your breath at the few scenes at which they confront each other. Alda, as usual is a brilliant defender of humanity and freedom. Dilon's take on the "hyenous prosecutor" is so tremendously real will all aspects of belief in his work it's simply scary.

Alik Sakharov great DoP work on this film shows every muscle moving on the actors' faces, which underlines the great work of the actors.

This film definitely proves Lurie knows what he's doing out there and I'll definitely have my eye on his future work.

A good film loosely inspired by the journalist Judith Miller. Always good to see films that remind me that journalism used to have integrity and guts... something we need these days. Kate Beckinsale, Matt Dillon and Alan Alda killed it. David Schwimmer just looks like a sad, lost puppy dog as usual.

This rates up very high on my scale as one of the better movies of 2008. Its not written as though a high and mighty political messenger wrote it, yet you do not have to look to deep to find the meaning. The star studded cast of Matt Dillon, Alan Alda and Kate Bechinsale brings out the qualities that was needed to make this type of film truly majestic.

The intense vigor of how the prosecuting attorney played by Matt Dillon, (which I first thought was going to be way out of character for him, but he pulled it off so effectively that he now has a new fan), actually attacks our protagonist is so real and matter of fact.

Being based on a true story helps in the matter of believability and the injustice of our justice system.

8/10