The Secret Man - Mark Felt

Astonishing: The most famous whistle blower in history gets his own docudrama, and it's a bit dull. Mark Felt (Liam Neeson), aka "Deep Throat," is tag lined in the movie's title as "the man who brought down the White House." The 2005 Vanity Fair article finally told the story, and this rendition hints at much intrigue left untold. It's the other side of All the President's Men but not nearly as well done.

As the deputy associate director of the FBI, Felt knew so much that he couldn't be fired for fear he'd reveal all. Yes, he had control of Hoover's "private files" (lots of sexual indiscretions) after his death in 1972, and he had 31 years of service. To boot, he was a straight arrow whom the dirty tricksters in the White House should have feared.

So how could this be a dull story? In the first place, the secret actions by the Watergate burglars and the foul machinations of Nixon's henchmen are barely exposed as drama. More importantly, the seminal investigative gymnastics of Woodward and Bernstein are skimmed over in favor of a Dustin Hoffman lookalike (Julian Morris) as Woodward (Redford played it in All) looking star struck when Felt begins his covert revelations. More integral is Sandy Smith (Bruce Greenwood) of Time Magazine as felt unloads info on him as well.

While we are left with a Cliff's Notes superficial version of the events leading to Nixon's resignation, we endure the domestic dilemmas of a boozy wife (Diane Lane) disappointed that Felt was passed over for director and a missing daughter, embarrassingly attached to a commune, we find out eventually. In the latter detail rests a better story of how Felt investigated Weatherman activities with a conflict of interest angle related to his daughter. (Reagan commuted Felt's sentence for unauthorized searches).

That is to say, there is so much action in those early '70's related to Tricky Dick that the movie seems to leave behind as it gets the right angles for its many Neeson close-ups. More close-ups of the FBI activity would have been better. All the President's Men and Spotlight are far better giving you the daily details leading to their disclosures.

But, hey, it is instructive to see that 45 years ago, the FBI asserted its independence from the White House. It had a sleazy administration to buck, all the more reason to fight the good fight. If you think there is resonance today with James Comey's firing, then hope for a Deep Throat. Looks like there are candidates already working out there.

From the very beginning, in order to understand everything, you do have to pay close attention to each scene and dialogue. While the cutting in most areas of the movie is very precise and fine for the tone, there were a couple bits that seemed an odd transition. I found the story shown quite intriguing, though I have not looked in detail in the real-life story. The conclusion felt a bit anti-climatic, but it is an okay ending.

I would consider this movie watchable if you enjoy a tense and a semi-complicated plot structure for a movie. I would even say it can be re-watched occasionally, though there is little humour displayed.

Every history buff knows "Watergate" and the scandal that shook Washington and took down president "Nixon" and the term "Deep Throat" rings a bell with this issue. Well finally a film puts this person in showcase spotlight that being Mark Felt(good performance from Liam Neeson) the man who brought down the white house literally. The film is informative with the behind the scenes look at the interviews and investigations after the "Watergate" break ins and it's looked at first with doubt, cover up, skepticism, and not wanting to believe from not just the administration, but many agents who are close to Nixon want a cover up. However Mark Felt is the one agent who wants answers and the truth as he feels the need for honor and integrity. So this film is a well done investigative journey of the behind the scenes workings of the political game and it's under the table moves and ways of doing business, while it seeks truth and justice while bringing down those involved. Really if your a history buff this is a near perfect film to watch as it's informative.

I liked it as the film adds to the discourse of the Nixon years, the most turbulent times in modern American history. So if you like American politics and history, you'll appreciate the film, which has good acting from the main lead character Irishman Liam Neeson as well as the supportive actors and the always gorgeous Diane Lane as the tormented wife of Mark Felt did really good to me.

Yes, it is true that there is a number of Americans, especially republicans who will forever hate the real Mark Felt, seeing him as the hugest rat and the most remarkable snitch who has ever walked on Earth, and ultimately as a who brought down the over-controlling presidency of Richard Nixon.

Other will love Mark Felt as a brave man who had no choice but to become an anonymous informant to the Washington Post in order to make the American people know the truth about their president.

Some others have even compared his actions to what in modern times have done Edgar Snowden, though snowden did not look for anonymity, Felt yes.

Even though times and technology and the political climate was different, i could see some similarity, especially that you have to be too committed to your cause to do things like that... or totally crazy. I think Felt and snowden were both deeply committed to what they thought was right,and nobody can argue with that. Because in life, we all do what we thing we have to do, right?

They followed their principles, weather they were right.. or wrong.

That is up to anyone to make up their own mind.

To me the film was a good film on modern American political history, and it touches journalism, ethics, the use of power and the insights of power in Washington, and what we see nowadays with trump just make us wonder if some mark felt would ever appear.

However, at certain times a bit boring (just a bit) but that was due to the non-stop dialogue.

I don't say that I will watch it again. Once is good and is enough, but I liked it. It was a good effort from the director Peter Landesman who also wrote it.. not surprisingly as landesman has been himself a journalist.

If you have some free time, like American politics, have nothing else to do and are luck to have some couple extra bucks to spend, this movie is for you.

If you did not live through this period of time, you probably rated this film poorly. If you lived through this part of American History, as I did, you would find this film inciteful, well written and better than the rating suggest.