Kill The Messenger Review

What is it with films that draw you in, only to leave you slightly disappointed as the final words leave you wondering “Why didn’t they make the film about that part of the story?”

Unfortunately, this is what I came away from thinking having watched the new Jeremy Renner true life offering Kill the Messenger.

Based on the story of a small town reporter, Gary Webb, who uncovers a CIA drug-racketing secret big enough to blow a hole in their history, Webb’s journalistic career and, not to mention, his family life.

Webb is then thrown into a life of misery as the power behind the secretive US government outfit then casts doubt over his story and this is just the beginning of one bad turn after another for Webb’s efforts.

The cross lines between the CIA and their relationship with the Nicaraguan cartels becomes blurry, much to the agencies delight, and Webb’s dismay.

The problem being is that there was far more to this true-life event, and it is not until the final scenes/credits that we are informed of the all-important what-happened-next.

This, I feel, was the real story. Instead, we were taken on a slow-burner of a film with a lack of action and any real sense that something was going to happen.

The fact that something did happen, for which the viewers are only privy to in the finale, was too late and you were left wishing that had been the bones of the film.

Renner himself portrayed the struggling Webb well enough, but without really taking the viewer anywhere other than the confines of his work and home. With almost “blink and you miss them” cameos by Ray Liotta and Andy Garcia, along with another decent performance from Michael Sheen (to be expected), this was a stellar all-star cast, that just didn’t really get going.

Shame really. The story was there. The cast was there. The idea, unfortunately, was not there.

By Ash Leszscuk @ashleszscuk