Brian Cox, riding high on his Succession success, gets top-billing in this political thriller from director Amy Rice. The story, though centres on Elisha “Eli” James, a reporter at the Washington Chronicle (Jodie Turner-Smith) who uncovers a scandal involving a US Presidential candidate.
Bearing in mind that some of my favourite films involve investigative reporters and I am very interested in American politics, Rice’s film should have been perfect for me. However, despite solid performances all round, I failed to get really invested in the plot. That was partially because the synopsis of the film posted on many sites gives too much away of the plot, including one intended twist. More importantly, the reason why movies like All The President’s Men and Spotlight made such an impact was because they are based on a true story. In comparison, The Independent, though slick enough, feels a little inconsequential.
The Independent can be seen on Sky Movies.
Rating: 7 out of 10