The first trailer for L.I.E./HOMELAND director Michael Cuesta's KILL THE MESSENGER landed online today, and the flick looks like a hard-hitting look at the story of Gary Webb. Webb was a Pulitizer Price-winner who made a connection between the C.I.A. and drug operations out of Nicaragua. I know what you're thinking. "C.I.A.? Drugs? What the hell are you talking about?" But Webb found a link, and paid the price; whether you believe it was suicide or not, either way, Webb was found with two bullets in his head back in 2004.
People are saying this reminds them of ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN, and it certainly seems to make a thriller out of Webb's journalistic exploits. This is provocative, touchy subject matter for a lot of Americans, and it seems that the flick does a good job of putting you in Webb's shoes, stuck between doing his job and exposing a corrupt faction of government or protecting himself and his family. The intensity looks like it's there, and Renner's performance strikes me as more of the AMERICAN HUSTLE variety, and less of the HANSEL AND GRETEL mold (although that film is underrated).
And man, check out the rest of the cast! Aside from Renner, you got Oliver Platt, Michael K. Williams, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Paz Vega, Michael Sheen, Andy Garcia, Barry Pepper, Tim Blake Nelson…seems that every other shot features another well-known talent in the frame. That can only be a good thing, right? At worst this'll be a star-studded travelogue like the original AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS, but this trailer makes me think we can hope for better.
KILL THE MESSENGER only if he's bringing you my mail on October 10th.
-Vincent Kim-Zahedi
”Papa Vinyard”
vincentzahedi@gmail.com
Follow Me On Twitter
