Veronica Guerin (2003)

Irish journalist Veronica Guerin, a reporter for The Sunday Independent, who exposed some of Dublin's most powerful crime barons and drug lords in 1996. But later that year she was gunned down by assasins hired by the same criminal drug lords she exposed. Veronica Guerin has Blanchett to a pretty decent perfomance unfortunately the story felt all over the place and the pacing dragged in alot. The film also was missing significant dramatic depth and came out as simply mediocre and the great cast was pretty much wasted by director Joel Schumacher. (2/10)

I rented this movie from my library mostly because Cate Blanchett stars in it. This is the second time I've watched this movie, and I tried to watch it more critically this time.It was a good effort, but not a great movie. Cate Blanchett gave a strong performance, as did the two main bad guys - Gilligan and Traynor. My problem with this movie was Veronica Guerin herself. Was she really such an anti-drug person that she would risk her life, with a husband and young child at home? Why? there was never any explanation for why she wanted to do something that made a difference.Her Mom acted quite well, but I found her husband a bit unbelievable as well. He basically knew what she was doing, and then just basically let her do it, and continue doing it. First someone fires a bullet thru the window. Then someone comes and shoots her in the leg. Then Gilligan beats the crap out of her calling her a filthy word over and over. This is all just OK with her husband? why? her mother too, why?But perhaps the biggest flaw with this movie was the screenplay. The movie starts with Veronica in court, then driving along the road, then suddenly something bad happens, and you don't know who it was or why. But you know something pretty bad happens to her. Then you flashback to 2 years earlier. Sometimes flashback screenplays work, but this time, I don't think so. Because once they flashback, and you learn that she is a reporter, and then she starts tracking drug dealers, you know how it's going to end. So you really are not surprised at the ending. There's no way you can think that she might survive. There's no uncertainty in your mind about whether things will turn out good or bad for her. You've let the cat out of the movie bag.Of course, this is based on a true story. You could always google it in advance to learn. But otherwise, it would have been a better movie had the screenplay been made so that the movie didn't tip its hand in the first 5 minutes. I found that to be the fatal flaw with an otherwise excellent story with powerful acting and a harsh toughness that will stay with you well after the final credits.There were other minor annoyances around Veronica's wounds. It seems like a couple of days after getting shot in the leg, she's running around again with no crutches, limps, or anything. Again, flashbacks left you no clue how much time elapsed. Same with her face getting pulverized by Gilligan, then a few days later it seems, the scars are almost healed. Those annoyances also detracted from the movie.Considering everything though, this movie is worth your attention, hence my rating 7/10.

It's a funny sort of film that's designed to document the life of a significant individual - yet gives you the impression that she was more important than it has portrayed her. This is how I left this artful yet somewhat lightweight movie describing the later life and work of Veronica Guerin, a reporter investigating the drug trade on the periphery of the troubles shortly before the Good Friday agreement was reached.A voice-over at the coda of the film has to makeweight where the film itself has left out ballast. The performances are solid - more so in the case of Cate Blanchett herself whose Irish accent is impeccable, and whose buzzing, boyish energy seems utterly fluent and credible. Yet the baddies seem simply neurotic and the good guys drawn into Guerin's vortex of investigative graft maintain their distance. There's no tipping point, save two moments of drama - these are simply stock in trade.It's a useful document and a competent film but it just doesn't have the gravitational pull that the woman clearly did. 5/10

I really liked this movie from the standpoint of what it covers and accuracy. We outsiders know so little of what makes Ireland, Ireland. This is an insightful view through one keyhole. Steeped in mystical things yet deeply religious, a deep underground world to rival the Italian Mafia, yet such an angelic goodness on the flip side. One thing is sure, if you are from Irish descent, whatever your direction, good or evil, your dedication is strong. This movie portrays it all and does it well. There is a deepness to the characters, even the ones in the peripheral. That depth relates the story in a way so few that are somewhat situational biographical of people and events have done. You know these characters when the movie ends.