Fair Game
Starring: Naomi Watts, Sean Penn, Bruce McGill,
Director: Doug Liman
Rating: 4/5
Naomi Watts and Sean Penn join forces once again to tell the true story of Valerie Palme, a CIA operative who was outed by the Bush administration after her husband questioned the reasons behind the Iraq war. Doug Liman is back in the director’s chair, this is his first movie since Jumper back in 2008.
As a covert officer in the CIA's Counter-Proliferation Division, Valerie (Watts) leads an investigation into the existence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.
Valerie's husband, diplomat Joe Wilson (Penn), is drawn into the investigation to substantiate an alleged sale of enriched uranium from Niger.
But when the administration ignores his findings and uses the issue to support the call to war, Joe writes a New York Times editorial outlining his conclusions and igniting a firestorm of controversy.
Soon after, Valerie's covert status is reported by a high-profile Washington journalist. With her cover blown and her overseas contacts placed in mortal danger, Valerie is pushed to the breaking point as her career and private life collapse.
I do love a good political thriller and Fair Game is a movie of top quality - driven by its two superb lead actors.
Penn and Watts have worked together on 21 Grams and The Assassination of Richard Nixon in the past and there is a clear connection and understanding between the two actors.
The relationship between the pair is genuine and never forced as working life brings there marriage close to collapse.
They bring an intelligent script to life as the movie delves into personal and well as professional lives - this is as much a relationship drama as a political thriller and Penn & Watts do make it feel very human.
It’s an understated movie as Doug Liman doesn’t go over the top or overcomplicate things and while many of us who followed the original story may have known the outcome it made it not less riveting.
But Liman never Bush bashes our gives his opinion on why we went to war and if we went to war for the right reasons - he leaves you to come to your own conclusions; which is always better than being spoon fed.
Fair Game is a thrilling piece of cinema that shows the unsavoury side of dirty politics and the impact that it can have on the lives of regular and innocent people.
Fair Game is out on DVD & Blu-Ray now.
FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw