Official Secrets hasn't received a ton of publicity in terms of press or advertising. Despite a decent release in theaters, there hasn't been much of a strong marketing push behind the film, which is surprising given a cast consisting of some big names, an intriguing premise based on a true story, and political themes that are just as relevant today as they were back in 2003 when the movie takes place.
A political drama with elements of a thriller thrown in, Official Secrets is not typical Hollywood fare, nor is it an arthouse bore. It's the type of film that seems like HBO would have made a few years back when the cable network was making timely political dramas. While the film is certainly very dialogue driven and talky, full credit goes to director Gavin Hood for making sure everything is still fast-paced, clear, and interesting to watch. There's enough story that Offical Secrets easily could have been a two-and-a-half to three hour epic, but at a lean, not-quite two hours, Hood tells all the important aspects of the story without any filler or insignificant details. At times, I wish there was just a little bit more with some of the journalist characters as they somewhat disappear in the second act, but as this is a movie Katharine Gun, it's appropriate what she went through gets the most screentime.
As Katharine Gun, Keira Knightley gives one of, if not the best of her career. Having to juggle the emotions of having the strength to do what she feels is right with the intense that the government will put her away, Knightley's performance is perfectly balanced and compelling throughout. As the journalist who first investigates Gun's whistle-blowing claim, Matt Smith is able to make his character memorable despite answering phones for most of his scenes. The rest of the cast is equally solid, even when not given the most significant of parts.
Official Secrets could have been the All the President's about the Iraqi War, or it could have been a straight biopic about Katharine Gun. The end result is a satisfying mix of both with Gun's story getting the screentime it deserves, along with several better-than-they-ought-to-be scenes of journalists investigating her claims. From time to time, there is also a bit of a thriller thrown in as Katharine becomes more paranoid about who is watching her. I suspect this balance of biography/political drama/slight thriller might throw some viewers off. It's not quite a perfect film, but it's one of the more thought-provoking, underrated gems of 2019. 8/10
A political drama with elements of a thriller thrown in, Official Secrets is not typical Hollywood fare, nor is it an arthouse bore. It's the type of film that seems like HBO would have made a few years back when the cable network was making timely political dramas. While the film is certainly very dialogue driven and talky, full credit goes to director Gavin Hood for making sure everything is still fast-paced, clear, and interesting to watch. There's enough story that Offical Secrets easily could have been a two-and-a-half to three hour epic, but at a lean, not-quite two hours, Hood tells all the important aspects of the story without any filler or insignificant details. At times, I wish there was just a little bit more with some of the journalist characters as they somewhat disappear in the second act, but as this is a movie Katharine Gun, it's appropriate what she went through gets the most screentime.
As Katharine Gun, Keira Knightley gives one of, if not the best of her career. Having to juggle the emotions of having the strength to do what she feels is right with the intense that the government will put her away, Knightley's performance is perfectly balanced and compelling throughout. As the journalist who first investigates Gun's whistle-blowing claim, Matt Smith is able to make his character memorable despite answering phones for most of his scenes. The rest of the cast is equally solid, even when not given the most significant of parts.
Official Secrets could have been the All the President's about the Iraqi War, or it could have been a straight biopic about Katharine Gun. The end result is a satisfying mix of both with Gun's story getting the screentime it deserves, along with several better-than-they-ought-to-be scenes of journalists investigating her claims. From time to time, there is also a bit of a thriller thrown in as Katharine becomes more paranoid about who is watching her. I suspect this balance of biography/political drama/slight thriller might throw some viewers off. It's not quite a perfect film, but it's one of the more thought-provoking, underrated gems of 2019. 8/10