Kill the Messenger – Review

Based on a true story and a script adapted from multiple books, Kill the Messenger features a great cast and an interesting story about the war on drugs and government secrets. Multiple presidential speeches open the film all focusing on the menace of drugs and their toll on society. Taxpayer dollars are blown through as costly programs and law enforcement needs are never enough to stop the flood of illicit products into the streets of the U.S. and hands of Americans.

Opening in California 1996, journalist Gary Webb (Renner) of the San Jose Mercury News knocks on Ronald J. Quail’s (Patrick) door in the morning, disturbing the man in his robe. Webb is focused on the government seizure of property of accused narcotics dealers. Quail is a dealer, and is pissed that he has lost assets despite having things go unproven in court. Can’t take a man’s shelter! Mid conversation, L.A. County Sheriffs bust in for another round of forfeitures.

Gary’s editor Anna Simons (Winstead) runs out of space for his article, but this upsets the man as the whole point of his story is that the assets are taken before crimes are proven. The government takes cars and houses forever, before they are proven guilty. Even if they are acquitted, they never get the stuff back. Gary believes in due process, despite the “victims” being drug dealers.

His article gets the attention of Coral Baca (Vega) who gives him a call which alarms Webb. She states that her boyfriend Rafael Cornejo (Farb) is in prison for cocaine trafficking, in Nicaragua. The government just took his house. The thing is, Rafi sold drugs for the government. Four tons were brought into the country for the U.S. government. She has every piece of paper copied. Has he written THIS story?

Off sets his journey of discovery and investigation into the United States itself, and how far the government will go. Dangers await, as well as possibly the truth. Will Gary make it through the web of insanity he has just gotten himself caught up in?

Kill the Messenger is a crazy story which is just nutty enough to be fully believable. The real-life Gary Webb is one of the book authors in which this script was based on, along with another former editor in-chief. The plot is unique and interesting, and the presentation of the film is good enough despite being a tad generic.

The cast is stacked and has great acting. The director does the basics to keep it all flowing and maintain intrigue, but it’s not a breakneck thriller considering the subject matter. It is definitely quite watchable thanks to its star power and compelling story, but it is a bit of a garden-variety film as far as presentation. Still, it’s worth the time and plenty of interesting information here.