Adam Driver must expose the CIA in this riveting post-9/11 drama.

The next time I hear a news report about a corrupt government, I’ll ask this: “they just wanted a screenplay, didn’t they?” Movies like “All the President’s Men,” “JFK” or “The Post” are willing to remind people about the truth and lies that reside in our country.

“The Report,” written and directed by Scott Z. Burns and produced by Steven Soderbergh, is the next movie to retell about a broken system, and the one man willing to expose the truth.

Adam Driver stars as Daniel J. Jones, a young U.S. Senate investigator, who is assigned by Senator Feinstein (Annette Bening) to locate some destroyed tapes, regarding the 9/11 attacks.

Upon his assignment, he learns about the CIA’s immoral acts of torturing the al-Qaeda suspects behind the attacks. This was known as the “Enhanced interrogation techniques” or “EiT.” He’s willing to go deeper into the classified story in order to expose the agency for their crimes.

The tortures include chaining the detainees to the wall or ground, beating them mercilessly, forcing them to listen to heavy metal rock, locking them in crates with insects; but the worst of all was water boarding. And one of the detainees died from hypothermia, as a result of their acts.

As time commences, Daniel keeps pushing himself to the very limit. He gets accused of stealing the documents, but gets off clean. But that’s not the worst part. The report may or may not get released, because it his word against the CIA’s.

Driver is outstanding in the ways he brings out his character’s intelligence and emotions, and how he delves into the real-life character’s motives. And Bening is fascinating as Senator Feinstein, because of her chemistry with Driver.

The movie’s all-star cast also includes Jon Hamm as the White House Chief of Staff, who tells Daniel to get some real government experience; Tim Blake Nelson as a physician’s assistant, who refuses to be recorded in the CIA’s acts; Corey Stoll as Daniel’s cameo lawyer; Maura Tierney as the fictionalized former head of the CIA; Ted Levine as the current head of the CIA; and Michael C. Hall and Jennifer Morrison both appear as loyalists.

One of the interesting aspects is how Eigil Bryld’s cinematography is colorized in the time periods. From 2001-2002, the scope is given a yellowish look, making it look like a Soderbergh piece, while the current years is given its normal images. I don’t know why exactly this choice was made, but at least it’s able to distinguish the past and present a bit.

I’m not that political, so I didn’t understand every aspect in “The Report.” but what I do acknowledge is how politics can be honest or deceitful in their ways of changing America. Give it up to Scott Z. Burns for committing to the true story, and for guiding the cast in the right direction. This is damn entertaining.

Edward Snowden is wanted for holding NSA secrets, so half of us believe he is the good guy, while others believe he is a traitor. This is just a current example of how people are willing to risk their lives for the greater good. In this case, it’s all about fighting the system.

⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

In Select Theaters November 15

On Amazon Prime Video November 29

Categories: Drama, Thriller