SHOCK AND AWE is one of the “Must See” movies of the year! In this day and age of “fake news” hysteria generated by our political leaders, SHOCK AND AWE is the shot in the arm that legitimate journalists need, not to mention what the public needs to see. Adding to the “must see” element is the continuing collaboration between Rob Reiner and Woody Harrelson (the former being “LBJ”) which produces another winning look at history. Here’s to many more pairings of the two.
Set in immediate post-9/11 times, SHOCK AND AWE tells the story of Knight Ridder Newspapers Washington D.C. Bureau journalists Jonathan Landay, Warren Strobel, Bureau Chief John Walcott, and Joe Galloway, who took the reporting road less traveled, refusing to buy into the Bush Administration claims that Saddam Hussein had “weapons of mass destruction” thus prompting war. Digging deep, doing the research, asking questions, believing in their duty to get to the truth and report accurately, and never giving up, the team produced stories ignored by many, but which actually “got it right.” There were no weapons of mass destruction and the American public was being sold a bill of goods.
There were a few, including myself, who believed in and stood by Knight Ridder (now part of McClatchy since 2006) and their investigations and reporting after 9/11. The evidence supported their reporting. The evidence did not support the claims of the Bush Administration. Sadly, history always seems to repeat itself and the playbook of misdirection and lack of evidence to support political directives running rampant during this post 9/11 Bush era is something we now see in overdrive with the current Administration and “their” favored news outlets. There is a lesson to be learned from SHOCK AND AWE which can be applied today.
Joey Hartstone, who also wrote Reiner’s “LBJ”, delivers a more than serviceable script by connecting the dots of history and delivering a cogent narrative for all to watch unfold and understand. Dialogue is sharp, witty, and authentic. While there are no journalistic thrills and chills embedded within the story, like any ethical journalist would do, as a screenwriter, Hartstone tells this tale of the knights from Knight Ridder with straightforward clarity. Aided by Reiner’s keen direction and the inclusion of archival news footage of our talking political heads of the day, the weight of the importance of what Walcott, Strobel, Landay, and Calloway are reporting takes on even more gravitas. Where Hartstone loses some points, however, is threefold, although it is not to the detriment of the telling of the events themselves.
The first prong is that we needed more Walcott, particularly given Reiner’s stellar performance. In all honesty, this is Reiner’s best on-camera work since “All In the Family.” He brings a tacit strength and serves as a “point of light” to his journalists that is not only beyond believable and resonant, but heartwarming that such a man of quiet integrity and ethics exists.
The second prong is the extraneous trappings of Jessica Biel’s character as a love interest to James Marsden’s Strobel. That entirety of that scant relationship serves only one purpose in the film and that is a get together BBQ with the respective fathers which allowed for the “older generation” coming out of WWII, Korea, and the Cold War to provide a counterpoint reference in the historical and political zeitgeist.
The third prong is not having enough Tommy Lee Jones as Joe Galloway. The greatest validation for Knight Ridder’s work was Joe Galloway. He is synonymous with war reporting and political reporting. Brought in by Bureau Chief Walcott to buttress the investigatory reporting, Galloway was a key figure in the work that Landay and Strobel were doing.
Particularly effective is the bookending of the film with a soldier, a Black soldier at that, testifying to the Senate subcommittee, which works not only to contextually frame the piece, but to give the audience those much needed eye-opening numbers of casualty and cost at the end of the film. That is the price we pay for “fake news.”
The acting triumvirate of Rob Reiner, Woody Harrelson, and James Marsden is terrific. As mentioned, this is the best acting performance of Reiner’s career since “All In the Family” and I genuinely would have liked to learn more about what was driving Walcott in his fight for ethics and integrity with honest reporting. His battles with Knight Ridder outlets over publishing/not publishing the work of himself, Strobel, Landay, and Galloway is well known.
As Warren Strobel and Jonathan Landay, respectively, James Marsden and Woody Harrelson are perfection. Their chemistry is genuine. Their banter and timing at moments harken to that of Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell in “His Girl Friday”. While some may liken the pair m to Redford and Hoffman as Woodward and Bernstein in “All The President’s Men”, I don’t think they have quite the “A-ha” moments to work with that were part of what Woodward and Bernstein did, so I’m not surprised to not see the same electrifying chemistry as Redford and Hoffman. Individually, this is another winning performance by Woody Harrelson as he makes you feel Landay’s passion and belief in what he is doing, the information he is obtaining. Most enjoyable is the “charm” Harrelson imbues within Landay as a means to get information. . . or not. And comedic moments just happen naturally thanks to Harrelson’s persona and delivery. Similarly, Marsden brings youthful, wide-eyed energy to Strobel who still has a tendency to wear those rose-colored glasses every once in a while.
As for Joe Galloway, one can ask for no better than Tommy Lee Jones as the gruff, war-weary newspaper correspondent.
Reiner’s overall direction is rock-solid, unwavering, straightforward. Pacing is even yet we feel the urgency and time-sensitive nature of the reporting, as well as the journalists’ frustrations. Editing integrates archival footage seamlessly. One can’t help but feel transported back in time to each moment where the events occurred and statements made. And as to be expected, Barry Markowitz’ cinematography is rich and beautiful.
As comes as no surprise, Jeff Beal’s score has its sweeping moments, a hallmark of a Reiner film.
Reiner pulls no punches, holds no surprises. He tells the truth with visuals, with story, with performance. Straight-shooting; just like those straight-shooting journalists whose story is now told.
Directed by Rob Reiner
Written by Joey Hartstone
Cast: Woody Harrelson, James Marsden, Rob Reiner, Tommy Lee Jones
by debbie elias, 07/05/2018
