Nothing But the Truth (2008)

You won't be disappointed!

Touches You

Powerful

The best films of this genre always show a path and provide a takeaway for being a better person.

While in Venezuela, the US President is attacked. Some time later after the US is under the impression that the Venezuelan government was involved decides to attack Venezuela.Some time later a reporter's story is approved by the newspaper bosses. The story is about how the government in fact didn't have any evidence on Venezuela's involvement but attacked anyway, in other words it attacked a nation on false pretenses. In the article, the reporter mentions a CIA agent by name, which is a crime. The information her source gave her is corroborated by two others. Legal warns Rachel the reporter that she will get in trouble with the government for this.Sure enough, a special prosecutor meets her. He's affable enough and tells her what is going to happen. She will be dragged in front of a grand jury and the judge will ask for the name of her source. If she doesn't comply she will be jailed for contempt. And that's exactly what happens, even though her big-wig attorney claims the whole thing will only be a 5 minute meeting and nothing will happen.In the meantime, the CIA goes after the agent, thinking that she voluntarily spilled her guts to the reporter. As it turns out her husband writes articles critical of the government. At some point she's killed by a hit-man.Rachel in the meantime spends a year in jail until the judge realizes that jail serves no purpose since she's not going to reveal her source. But he also hints at what the prosecutor could do to keep Rachel in jail. And that's what he does. Right after she's released, he drags her back to jail on criminal charges. In the end we learn who the source is and it is a bit of surprise.Nothing But the Truth could have been an intriguing political-legal thriller. Unfortunately, it's not. It's a jail/legal drama based on the story of Valerie Wilson who was outed on purpose by the government because her husband ambassador wrote articles that didn't fit with the narrative the government invented to justify invading Iraq. That said, the script is pretty strong. Of course it presents the reporters as idealists who'll do anything for free speech. But even the newspaper bosses start thinking twice when the corrupt judge, agreeing with every single thing the special prosecutor wants, fines the newspaper $10000 a day till Rachel talks.The movie does a good job presenting the viciousness of government once someone ends up in their sights. They'll throw the book at the person and then some. Of course this only applies to those who don't have a lot of power/money/prestige.Beckinsale is solid as always and she can even make a reporter be sympathetic. Dillon is outstanding as the seemingly reasonable prosecutor with whom you can actually deal with--as long as the person does what he wants. Otherwise he'll use all the nasty tricks in the book to go after him. Alan Alda is hilarious as the ostentatious supposedly expert attorney on free speech but who's in reality more interested in Zegna suits and fancy watches.The surprise at the end about who the source is was effective but it upends the entire movie making it all pointless--the whole trial and suffering but also the whole reporter's stance which was supposed to be on principle. Nothing But the Truth is effective in showing the nasty injustice of the "justice" system but not much more, when it could have done a lot more.

At some future date in our history there is an assassination attempt on our president. That is used to justify a military intervention in Venezuela when it's leaked to the press that they were behind the attempt. Kate Beckinsale investigative reporter writes the story and in doing so outs her neighbor Vera Famigia as a CIA operative. That's against the law and the government wants to know who her source is. But being the good journalist she is she won't reveal. So it's off to prison with her and that's only the beginning of her problems.The federal government is really vindictive in its persecution of her. They've even got a special prosecutor in Matt Dillon who is just devoted to her case alone. Talk about overkill. Dillon does very well in the part and never lets it slip into caricature. He genuinely believes in what he's doing and never sees the implications that Beckinsale's civil liberties lawyer Alan Alda does.Unfortunately outing Famigia makes her a target too and tragically so. That only makes Dillon and our government redouble its efforts to make an example of Beckinsale. As for Beckinsale she's wonderful in her part as unexpected hero who really sacrifices all for a free press.We do in fact learn the original source of her story and all I can say is it is sublimely bizarre. I would love to have seen Matt Dillon try to prosecute the source.

Just seen this film for the first time.I enjoyed it very much as it progressed but was totally let down by the denouement for the same reasons which have previously been ventilated by other reviewers. I thought the performances of Beckinsale,Farmiga and Alda were superb (never been particularly impressed by Matt Dillon) as were the writing and direction and I was intending to research the actual events upon which the film is based but not now as my interest has dissipated. The ending in my opinion completely ruined the film because it makes no sense whatsoever;there was absolutely no need for the reporter to protect her "source" because she was at all times fully protected by the law in any event.I give it 5 for the acting and direction but I would never watch it again and I certainly wouldn't recommend it to anyone else.Shame.

I will start this review by saying that I do enjoy law/crime related movies and that I believe that the acting and the directing of this movie was well done, but...The story although it started strong, with the right amounts of drama and mystery, it quickly lost my appreciation mainly because the values that Rachel Armstrong was trying to defend when she reported the story, although they were admirable to a point, they led me to believe that it was nothing but for her own professional gain rather than having an informative value to news readers. Honestly, throughout the movie I found myself wanting to know what was the point of releasing information regarding the ID of a CIA covert operative in the newspaper but the movie failed to deliver that important piece of information, leaving me confused and disappointed...Then the great ridiculous finale just strengthened my overall dislike for news reporters in general. The agenda of reporting the news at any cost, regardless to what damage they might cause to family members, friends and other innocent bystanders always comes first and this movie clearly stands by it.I give it a 4/10 just because the acting was solid. And because Kate Beckinsale is very hot :)