Winner

Hard to review this film without somehow getting on someone's nerves. I liked the acting and the movie was OK in terms of pacing and production. However it was difficult for me to reconcile the real case, the bias that the filmmakers were pushing for and the entertainment part of the film. Imagine if Ed Snowden was a blonde woman with absolutely no people skills, spy skills or revealing anything truly interesting. You get to know her, then the movie is over. That's about it.

Now, there is nothing wrong with her being a woman, being blonde or caring about politicians lying through their teeth on TV about Russian interference in American voting, it's just that it was not something entertaining. The makers of this film struggled its entire length to make the characters relatable and interesting, and they did a good job with what they had, but it still wasn't really interesting. Emilia Jones did great work, too, but couldn't make a bland film something else than what it was.

If you thought the film was about some legal battle against the government or some shrewd individual outsmarting the security apparatus of the United States or about real drama and human suffering, you get none of that. Instead you get an average person, trying to do the right thing in a terribly naive way and paying for it. I got to feel more about that poor guy who liked her than about all of the people killed by the military, the main character, her family or anyone else in the film.

Bottom line: the film made me aware of the existence of this case, but it wasn't anything special in real life and the film couldn't elevate it to something else entirely, no matter how hard they tried.

Tho different in style, "Winner" explores the same subject as the recent "Reality": the NSA's Reality Winner who in 2017 leaked classified info on Russia's 2016 US election fixing. "Reality" focussed on her arrest to unveil its story in a clever & dry way, but "Winner" is lighter & brighter in showing her (here played by Emilia Jones - excellent yet again) family background (with folks Zach Galifianakis & Connie Britton and sis Kathryn Newton), motivations, sensitivities, etc. Kerry Howley's debut screenplay weaves a lot of info into a fun & digestible form for fine director Susanna Fogel. "Reality" & "Winner": two terrific complementary movies on one fascinating subject.

I think this Reality was brilliant. Based on the true story along with extensive experience in the government, I applaud Reality in her quest for truth and not bowing down to "the man". Reality's intentions were true to her American values and she stood up for that; I respect that. I cannot imagine all of the skeletons in the closet in this world that the rich and powerful control.

I thought the story was acted professionally and felt the story needed to be told. I wonder how many other items are kept secret; of course, in today's world with social media it's hard to tell what is truth and what is propaganda.

If you have seen the HBO production 'reality' then you may think, why bother to watch this version of the story of Reality Winner? Well this one has a much lighter, even comedic touch to it, they are both very different experiences. Whilst the HBO version may be more realistic in its presentation, 'Winner' is ultimately the more affecting of the two in my opinion. It could stand on its own as a film about a rebellious teen, and would be enjoyably involving, moving and thought provoking. However accurate it comes to portraying the facts and experiences of the situation, one thing is certain, it gets across the message regarding the state of the political, judicial and intelligence sectors of the USA. Which all, depending on your biases, are truly lacking. Maybe not so much as in even the majority of other countries, but certainly far from that aspirational 'Shining City on a Hill' mantra.

It's deeply ironic that a young ex forces woman was jailed for years for printing out a few pages, when the person who was the beneficiary of the Russian interference she wished to highlight, had boxes full of top secret documents he had stolen as a private citizen in his toilet, yet will likely never even see the inside of a prison cell?

This is a highly entertaining film, watch it.

Or is wrong right? Well no pun intended - also I am not sure if you are aware but there is another movie with the same ... well "story". The other one has Sydney Sweeney in the main role ... and it also "only" concentrates on the one day and on Winners perspective .. and she is anything but winning - compiled through the transcript it gives us the faithful (well not so much faith but that aside) day.

This really shines a light on so much more of the person ... and her family and friends. Doing what you may think is right ... well the law may see it differently ... to think that others (let's say more powerful people) got away with a lot worse than what she did ... well puts it all into perspective.

The "little" (wo)man always has a way more difficult stance. This is another prove of that - because again it is based on a true story ... we get some more recent updates ... but it still makes you wonder if other people should have been treated differently ... not to mention maybe not be in a "job" right now ... crazy world we live in.