Pubdate: Wed, 15 Oct 2003
Source: Port Perry Star (CN ON)
Copyright: 2003 Port Perry Star Co. Ltd.
Contact:  http://www.portperrystar.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2533
Author: John Foote
Note: Title by MAP editor.

VERONICA GUERIN

Veronica Guerin Gets to the Heart of Investigative Journalism

Veronica Guerin was an Irish journalist who became obsessed with exposing 
the drug lords and traffickers who controlled organized crime in Dublin in 
the late 80s through to the mid 90s. Recognized on the street by her 
readers, she was possessed of a fearless nature in challenging these 
criminals who made threats against her family, shot her in the leg, issued 
numerous death threats, and saw her beaten viciously. Finally in 1996, she 
was murdered by the very men she was trying to bring to justice. In death 
she became a martyr, as almost instantly the Irish government cracked down 
on these criminals, seizing their assets and throwing many of them behind 
bars. How sad that Guerin did not live to see what her writing did, yet I 
am sure she would be proud of what her death accomplished.

It would be easy to dismiss any film directed by Joel Schumacher because he 
has unfairly earned a reputation as a Hollywood blockbuster filmmaker. Yes 
he directed Batman Forever (1995) and Batman and Robin (1997), all but 
ending the Warner Brothers franchise, as well as the incredibly stupid 8mm 
(1996), and Flatliners (1990). Yet he was also the man who directed Falling 
Down (1993), the superb Tigerland (2000), A Time to Kill (1995) and last 
year's taut thriller Phone Booth (2002). When not burdened with an enormous 
budget and grandiose expectations, Schumacher is a fine director who can 
get the job done. He possesses strength with actors that I do not believe 
he has ever been given enough credit for, and was brave enough to recognize 
he was wasting his skills with Batman and Robin. His gritty, virtually 
dogma style with Tigerland stunned critics into silence, making it clear to 
any nay-sayers, the man can direct.

With Veronica Guerin, he falls into a trap that most filmmakers making a 
biography fall into which is that they have a tad too much admiration for 
their character. That very thing ruined Oliver Stone's The Doors (1991) 
despite a strong performance from Val Kilmer in the title role, and also 
impacted on Richard Attenborough's Chaplin (1992). The director must be 
willing to show their subject warts and all, because it is their flaws 
which allow us to get close to them, which humanize them. That was the 
great strength of Spike Lee's Malcolm X (1992) and Oliver Stone's Nixon 
(1995), and though Veronica Guerin is a very strong film, it is not the 
masterpiece many hoped for. Cate Blanchett is luminous as Guerin, bringing 
a clear eyed courage to the character that is precisely what is needed to 
make the audience believe the story and in the character. She knows she is 
walking on thin ice in exposing these men, yet is committed to do so to at 
least make a better Ireland for the youth around her. The film explores 
what good she did, the risks she took, yet we never really understand why. 
Why would a married woman with a child keep going even after death threats 
had been made to her child? At that point is it not wise to back away? For 
her troubles, for her supreme courage, Guerin was killed, shot six times 
when a motorcycle pulled alongside her at a traffic light. She will never 
see her child grow up or grow old with the man she loved. Was it, I wonder, 
really worth it?

To their credit, the filmmakers make clear the fact that she sacrificed 
being with her family many times for her work, and her husband was many 
times a single parent long before he became one for real. She is portrayed 
as dogged in her pursuit of these men, and is viciously beaten for her 
efforts. That one sequence, in which she arrives as the drug lord's horse 
farm is alarming in its sudden and swift brutality.

After barely introducing herself he lashes out at her, physically pummeling 
her into a bloody mess, and all she can do is press charges against him. He 
is unrepentant and actually jolly about the beating he gave her, likely 
wishing he had done more. The police can do nothing. The phone call made by 
the drug lord to Guerin is truly terrifying as he is totally committed to 
shutting her down. We listen in horror as her child is threatened, and she 
knows, without a shadow of a doubt, they are deadly serious about the 
threat. It is to Gerald McSorley's credit that he makes this character both 
fearsome and loathsome; clearly nothing matters to him but the dollars he 
makes from drugs. It is one of the most quietly terrifying performances I 
have ever seen.

It becomes clear that the police in Dublin could really do nothing and 
really did nothing until of course she was killed.

Blanchett's performance elevates the film greatly, taking an otherwise 
ordinary bio-pic and giving it a heart and soul. She brilliantly captures 
Guerin's fierce determination in her work, and we leave the theatre with 
full admiration of that. Sadly we never quite understand why she did what 
she did.

I judge great movie bios by this: what did I learn about the person that I 
did not know going in? With Veronica Guerin, I learned nothing as I had 
researched her before seeing the film and Shumacher brings nothing unique 
or new to the story. Yes it is a fine film, superbly acted by Blanchett who 
will likely and deservedly be Oscar nominated, but I think in the end 
Guerin deserved a greater film. Yes, like the others, I admire her 
accomplishment, yet I question whether or not it was worth her life. I 
suppose it goes back to the adage that one life is worth losing for the 
thousands and millions which may be saved, but I think that is a tough 
argument to make to her motherless child. yet I question whether or not it 
was worth her life.
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MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager