Pi@LFF: Official Secrets
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Pi@LFF is a series of reviews made by the Pi Culture team attending the 2019 BFI London Film Festival. Here, Georgina Bartlett reviews Official Secrets, a docudrama about British Intelligence whistleblower Katharine Gun.
In the wake of Ellen DeGeneres’ controversial defence of Bush, Official Secrets is one of the most fitting and vital films I could have watched at the London Film Festival.
In 2003, with the shadow of the Iraq War looming, British Intelligence worker Katharine Gun (Keira Knightley) famously turned on her government and leaked an NSA memo. It’s a story of corruption and violent implications on a massive scale – a request to collect compromising information about UN diplomats and, in effect, secure a resolution for war through blackmail. When Gun leaked the document to the press, her life didn’t unravel straight away. Instead, in Official Secrets, we follow a compelling, if predictable, formula before reaching boiling point. Just as Gun agonises before the news and yells at a pixelated Tony Blair, I hope viewers experience similar rushes of anger as her story plays out piece by piece.
A former lawyer and journalist turned director, Gavin Hood’s experience clearly informs the slow motions of whistleblowing. We meet reporter Martin Bright (Matt Smith), who coordinates the necessary fact-checking before making The Observer’s front page – and promptly sending Gun’s life into a spiral. Later, shifted focus to her court case makes welcome room for Liberty, an organisation well-overdue its screen time that continues to defend human rights today. Ralph Fiennes is typically excellent as barrister Ben Emmerson, and only underlines that dramatic talent is the core strength of this film.
As every critic has keenly pointed out, too, Knightley is more than adept at leading the charge, and is incredibly convincing as someone who willingly takes the world on her shoulders. Primarily due to her skill, the film offers an overarching study of someone grappling with their conscience, morals, and the consequences of sticking to them: between regret and righteousness, she balances a moving sense of empathy and empowerment.
A great deal relies on her subtlety, as very little in Official Secrets seems exaggerated for cinematic effect. Though tension and catharsis certainly aren’t sacrificed, rippling waters are Hood’s main material. Thankfully, it’s more Citizenfour than Snowden – real news footage and documentary tropes are scattered throughout, making for a drama that feels very much grounded in the pursuit of truth over unnecessary bells and whistles. Spotlight, another premium political drama of recent years, employs the same mission statement to similarly satisfying effects. It’s just a shame that Official Secrets doesn’t seem to be garnering nearly the same level of attention.
In fact, for those of us who love a good journalism drama, the standard fare in Secrets may seem a little old school – grumpy editors, a car park meeting, and yelling over desks are all rolled out as familiar hallmarks. But this accurately reflects the Observer offices - and the pre-Iraq press civil war - of the early 2000s: colleagues were indeed bitterly divided over the newspaper’s support of Blair. Some world-shaking drama involving spell check also seems a fairly accurate retelling of an intern’s real-life nightmare (over at The Guardian, you can hear the full story). If the film were to lose around 10 minutes – which admittedly would have left it even more polished – the occasional outburst about press integrity should’ve been the first to go.
Official Secrets is nevertheless an informative, gripping, and back-to-basics take on a piece of modern history that mustn’t be forgotten. Though it offers nothing particularly stand-out or innovative on a technical level, the acting prowess on display and the care taken with crucial source material makes for a stirring watch. I’m glad that this story is getting the attention it deserves, and I can only hope that Ellen tunes in ASAP.