Friday, August 5, 2011

The Whistleblower

Title: The Whistleblower
Directed by: Larysa Kondracki
Starring: Rachel Weisz, Vanessa Redgrave, Monica Bellucci, David Strathairn
Genres: Drama, Thriller, Biography
Running Time: 1 hour. 52 minutes
Release Date: August 5th, 2011
MPAA Rating: R

Review: 'The Whistleblower', a drama based on the experiences of a police officer from Nebraska, Kathryn Bolkovac, who served as a peacekeeper in post-war Bosnia. During her mission, she uncovered a human trafficking ring involving the UN. However, I would not call it a drama, I would call it a thriller.

A thriller in which we get to follow Ms. Bolkovac as she comes in contact with the girls who are being/have been sold into a lifetime of sex slavery, and what happens when she tries to ring the alarm through her work channels at the UN. It's a horrifying look into the life of these girls, especially considering that this is not dreamt up by some Hollywood writer, looking for the next big blockbuster; it based on the truth. As are the government efforts going into keeping Ms. Bolkovak quiet. Interesting, indeed.

This film is brutal, hearth wrenching, even horrifying at times. And most frightening of all, very real. Rachel Weisz is great as Kathryn Bolkovac, and the rest of the cast, mostly unknown to me previously, also impressed with the authenticity of their portrayals. All in all, a film worth seeing, if for no other reason than to bring attention to the issues it represents.
Grade: 9

No comments:

Post a Comment