Kill the Messenger

There’s a better, bygone era of journalism that takes the spotlight in Kill the Messenger, one in which the value of pavement-pounding investigative work in a fully staffed newsroom takes precedence over half-hearted tweets and sound bites.

At the same time, this taut drama from director Michael Cuesta (L.I.E.) also exposes an ugly side of journalism ethics by telling the true-life story of a reporter whose life becomes consumed by his quest for the truth and a scoop, in no particular order.

It takes place in the mid-1990s, when Gary Webb (Jeremy Renner) is an award-winning reporter for the San Jose Mercury News who is handed a tip about the Iran-Contra scandal a decade earlier, namely that the CIA was funding Nicaraguan rebels by subsidizing the smuggling of cocaine into poor south-central Los Angeles neighborhoods.

Webb uses his clout to chase the story halfway around the world, meeting some lowlifes on both ends of the socioeconomic spectrum. His efforts to expose the corruption produce a series called Dark Alliance that is praised upon its publication, particularly since it came from a relatively small-market paper.

Then the fallout starts, with major news outlets attacking Webb’s story for inaccuracies, perhaps out of jealousy. A subsequent government smear campaign is too much for Webb’s editor (Oliver Platt) to handle, and Webb begins a downward spiral as his defiance turns to paranoia.

We’ve seen plenty of big-screen tales of journalists who put themselves in harm’s way for a story. Here, the uneven screenplay by Peter Landesman (Parkland) is based in part on two books, including one by Webb himself. It feels perhaps too ambitious at times by trying to keep the focus on Webb’s personal rise and fall without shortchanging the larger story that could have made a worthwhile political thriller on its own.

Renner (The Hurt Locker) provides an emotional anchor for the film, even if his character’s arrogance is somewhat off-putting, with a performance that conveys both passion and vulnerability. The supporting ensemble is strong as well, including Rosemarie DeWitt as Webb’s wife, and Andy Garcia, Michael Sheen, and Ray Liotta as sources.

Even as it meanders in the second half, Kill the Messenger becomes a treasure trove for conspiracy buffs with its exploration of government propaganda, spin doctors and cover-ups. It’s a cautionary tale in which the tale supersedes the caution.

Rated R, 112 minutes.