The Report (2019)

The Report: Directed by Scott Z. Burns. With Adam Driver, Corey Stoll, Evander Duck Jr., Jon Hamm. Idealistic Senate staffer Daniel J. Jones, tasked by his boss to lead an investigation into the CIA’s post 9/11 Detention and Interrogation Program, uncovers shocking secrets.

“Greetings again from the darkness. Does the end justify the means? Do two wrongs make a right? These are questions of ethics and morality, and when it comes to the government, they can also be questions of legal and illegal, or even life and death. Scott Z Burns offers up his feature film directorial debut, and he has been best known as a screenwriter for Steven Soderbergh films such as THE LAUNDROMAT, SIDE EFFECTS, and THE INFORMANT! Mr. Burns certainly didnu0026#39;t choose an easy route for his first time in the director chair, as this is a heavy, thought-provoking, stomach-churner.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eAdam Driver plays Daniel Jones, a Senate staffer under Senator Dianne Feinstein. She charges him with leading the Senate investigation into the CIAu0026#39;s Enhanced Interrogation Technique (EIT) program after the 9/11 attack. Itu0026#39;s easy to see why so many viewed this as a bad gig, but Jones became obsessed with uncovering the truth about what happened, who did what, and who knew what and when they knew it. This government procedural offers us an education on red tape, political boundaries, and the expertise in protecting fiefdoms in D.C. In other words, everything that we fear and despise about our own government officials is on display here.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThat said, it is refreshing to see someone so focused on getting to the truth as Jones is/was … despite the systematic obstacles (destruction of tapes, party divisions). Annette Bening shines as Senator Feinstein and is quite effective in portraying just how difficult it can be for politicians to juggle all sides and pressures when a topic is so u0026quot;hotu0026quot;. The film covers a period between 2003 and 2012, and most of the run time is spent on Jonesu0026#39; research for the report.nThe supporting cast is deep and talented, and includes Jon Hamm as Obama Chief of Staff Denis McDonough, Michael C Hall, Maura Tierney, Victor Slezak, Tim Blake Nelson, Ben McKenzie, Matthew Rhys, Corey Stoll, and Ted Levine (as CIA Director John Brennan). One of the more interesting aspects of the film involves the contractors behind the EIT program. Basically, they are academics with no real world case studies or experience – just two guys looking to cash in on a lucrative government deal at a time when a country was desperate for answers.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eWatching the battle over the final release (or not) of u0026quot;The Torture Reportu0026quot; (the word torture was redacted here) injects quite a bit of tension, and the inclusion of archival footage from the period is very effective. Whatu0026#39;s less effective is the overuse of shaky-cam in the first portion of the film, and the score is downright annoying at times as it attempts to ensure we are frustrated with the political wranglings. On the other hand, the dialogue is really crisp and there are some quietly-tense exchanges between folks that are well-written and well-acted. Adam Driver carries the bulk of the film and he is perfectly cast.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe obvious comparisons are to ALL THE PRESIDENTu0026#39;S MEN and SPOTLIGHT, though this one never quite reaches that level. Still, itu0026#39;s thought-provoking to watch as Jones considers a New York Times reporter to be the most ethical character he can turn to in his efforts to get the truth out. The film doesnu0026#39;t really choose sides … everyone who participated in a cover-up or illegal activities takes a shot, as does Kathryn Bigelowu0026#39;s ZERO DARK THIRTY. This was a dark time in U.S. history, and it reminds us how difficult it seems to be to do the right thing while in government. Perhaps thatu0026#39;s the biggest takeaway.”