Nothing But the Truth

There are two sides of the world of journalism that Hollywood likes to depict. There's the investigating side, featuring journalists who are willing to risk their careers (and possibly their lives) to get their story. This one is the more commonly depicted.

But what about the other side of journalism? That side shows the aftermath of the investigating. The story's written and published, so now what happens? Either life carries on as normal or the story causes a whole whirlwind of controversy. Take a stab in the dark as to which one Hollywood prefers.

Rod Lurie's Nothing But the Truth depicts the latter side to the fullest. Think of it as a modern day equivalent of All the President's Men, though the suspense isn't as great here as it is in Alan J. Pakula's film.

Like Lurie's earlier film The Contender, the cast is quite remarkable. The names attached include Kate Beckinsale, Matt Dillon, Vera Farmiga, Alan Alda, Angela Bassett and David Schwimmer. They're all quite good but this show belongs to Farmiga hands down.

Of course the film has its flaws. Beckinsale makes her role too preachy in scenes. The suspense usually found in films like this is lacking. And the ending, though initially clever, left me feeling underwhelmed. Still, Lurie presented a compelling story, so I can't entirely dislike it.

My Rating: ****