Fair Game (2010)

(c) Summit Entertainment

It’s a story that needed to be told – a story about how truth can be twisted to suit another’s agenda – a story about what you risk when you wrench that truth out of its entangled web of deception – a story about doing the right thing.

Fair Game, directed by Doug Liman, is the story of Valerie Plame Wilson. She was a covert officer in the CIA’s Counter-Proliferation Division, and her cover was blown most publicly, as payback for her husband Joe Wilson’s non-conforming ways.

Wilson denied the then administration’s version of his involvement in the pre-Iraq war period in gathering intelligence. He went public to assert his views by writing an op-ed piece in the New York Times, which directly contradicted the official version. By doing so, Wilson disturbed a hornet’s nest, whereby his wife’s cover was blown by dishonest officials, who wanted to silence him and divert the public’s attention from what he had to say.

Naomi Watts has always been a brilliant actor and she delivers to expectation playing the role of Plame Wilson. Living a double life is not easy, because often no one knows, or can ever know that you work for the CIA. The constant secrecy, the burden of responsibility, the dangers you face that you can never share with a loved one – these are par for the course when you are in intelligence. It’s a thankless job, but one that has to be done. One that Valerie does with professionalism and aplomb. Plenty of suspense here.

It all comes unraveling when Plame Wilson’s CIA involvement is made public. The events leading up to it are pitiable, especially when everyone’s favourite bad guy the CIA finds its arm twisted by viley officials. In the end, the organisation that she has served for over 15 years seems part unable and part unwilling to help her. Pitted against that institutionalism and the far greater problem of a face-off with the White House is her life, livelihood, career, marriage and even the lives of her children. She must do all she can to set her name straight, and get her life and especially her marriage back on track.

Sean Penn, as Joe, gives an equally thought-provoking performance. Joe is not one to suffer fools, and he refuses to have his name and credibility used in vein to suit another’s agenda. He fights the good fight with his outspoken attitude, his courage in the face of public humiliation and his refusal to give in to a powerful adversary.

The relationship between Valerie and Joe is the focus through which everything else filters. It’s a great way to humanize what is otherwise a very political statement. It’s a tough film to stomach for the political truths it reveals – to be reminded that what happened played out the way it did. It’s tragic to watch when lives are thrown into upheaval, and even lost, to the machinations of power and its self-serving brokers.

It makes for great drama though. The fast-paced, direct delivery and the honesty of the film’s message, makes Fair Game one of the must-see adult thrillers of the year.


Source: Summit Screening Room