Shattered Glass (2003)

Shattered Glass: Directed by Billy Ray. With Hayden Christensen, Peter Sarsgaard, Chloë Sevigny, Rosario Dawson. The story of a young journalist who fell from grace when it was discovered he fabricated over half of his articles from the publication The New Republic magazine.

“This fascinating study of journalistic malpractice is not only one of the best American films of 2003, but the best movie about journalism itself since ALL THE PRESIDENTu0026#39;S MEN. Itu0026#39;s a complex, intimate character study thatu0026#39;s simultaneously tragic and funny thanks to a brilliant performance by Hayden Christensen, who in his portrayal of New Republic writer Stephen Glass is almost nauseatingly amoral yet strangely sympathetic–like the other characters in the film (all of whom are excellently played by the best ensemble cast since TRAFFIC), the viewer roots for Glass to be innocent of journalistic fraud in spite of all the evidence to the contrary. And if the movie is entertaining and emotionally involving on the micro-level of ensemble character study, on the macro-level of social and historical sweep itu0026#39;s an absolute masterpiece, a witty and terrifying satire about what Americans want from their news media and how easy it is to lie and be lied to in a society that values sensationalism over substance. First-time director Billy Ray uses the u0026#39;scope frame expressively yet with subtlety and restraint–there isnu0026#39;t a moment in this film in which the camera fails to find the perfect way of emphasizing the dynamic drama thatu0026#39;s already there on the page and in the performances.”