A TV news producer prepares an investigation into then presidential candidate George W Bush's military service record, examining allegations that he exploited family connections to avoid being sent to Vietnam and failed to fulfil basic responsibilities as a member of the National Guard. The report proves controversial, and places her career under attack when key evidence is denounced as a forgery. Fact-based drama, starring Cate Blanchett and Robert Redford
In the directorial debut of Zodiac scriptwriter James Vanderbilt, Cate Blanchett and Robert Redford headline as under-fire journalists in the eye of their own storm-making exclusive. Blanchett impresses as Mary Mapes, a sure-footed TV producer who in real life oversaw America's top current affairs show, 60 Minutes, presented by eminent newsman Dan Rather (Redford). However, during the run-up to the 2004 US presidential contest, Mapes assembled a team to investigate rumours of George W Bush receiving preferential military treatment during the Vietnam War. Her decision that Rather should report on unfounded information shines a light on the dirty tactics used by both sides in the media war over the presidency. The movie is wordy, worthy and often bombastic in dialogue, with Blanchett the backbone of the story while Redford's careful, nuanced portrayal of the nation's most trusted news anchor is a study in understatement. Elisabeth Moss, Dennis Quaid and Bruce Greenwood round out a talented cast in a tale of how traditional hero journalism crumbled in the face of the then-new digital tsunami.
| role | name |
|---|---|
| Mary Mapes | Cate Blanchett |
| Dan Rather | Robert Redford |
| Mike Smith | Topher Grace |
| Lt Colonel Roger Charles | Dennis Quaid |
| Lucy Scott | Elisabeth Moss |
| Andrew Heyward | Bruce Greenwood |
| Lt Colonel Bill Burkett | Stacy Keach |
| Lawrence Lanpher | Dermot Mulroney |
| role | name |
|---|---|
| Director | James Vanderbilt |
