FAIR GAME
****
Director: Doug Liman
Screenwriters: Jez Butterworth and John-Henry Butterworth based on the books Fair Game by Valerie Plame and Joseph Wilson
Principal cast:
Naomi Watts
Sean Penn
Sam Shephard
Anand Tiwari
Sonya Davison
Ty Burrell
Country: USA/United Arab Emirates
Classification: M
Runtime: 106 mins.
Australian release date: 18 November 2010
Fair Game, directed by Doug Liman, is a political and personal drama. It is based on the books, Fair Game: “My Life as a Spy, My Betrayal by the White House” by Valerie Plame, a real-life CIA covert officer and, Fair Game: “The Politics of Truth: Inside the Lies that Led To War and Betrayed My Wife’s CIA Identity: A Diplomat’s Memoir” by her husband Joseph Wilson, a retired USA ambassador.
The film opens in Washington, where Valerie (Naomi Watts) is given the task of infiltrating Saddam Hussein’s weapons program. It is a crucial period in the lead-up to the second Iraq War. Meanwhile, Joe (Sean Penn) is dispatched by the USA Government to Niger, an African country, where he had previously made official contacts, to write a report detailing the purchase of a large consignment of uranium by the Iraqi Government.
When Joe’s evidence suggested that Iraq was not amassing weapons of mass destruction, he was ignored by the Bush administration. He published his findings in The New York Times. This led to a high-ranking Bush administration official (later exposed as Dick Cheney’s former Chief of Staff I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby), exposing Valerie’s identity as a member of the CIA, thus endangering her family and many of her associates.
Jez and John-Henry Butterworth’s script reveals how the personal effect on their lives in fact outweighed the political. The Wilsons received death threats, the loss of friends and their careers. Both reacted differently. Joe went public declaring that the revelation of his wife’s identity was a criminal act. However, Valerie was reluctant to be thrust into the spotlight as she had always been a secretive person, living the life of a venture capitalist, or so her friends were led to believe.
Watts delivers the performance of her career. She was considered for the part by the producers because of her, ‘easy-going femininity and steely calm’. Penn also gives the performance of his career, on a par with Harvey Milk. They work very well together. They are well-supported by Valerie’s father, Sam (Sam Shepard), who advised her that it was more important to fight for her marriage, than her career.
Fair Game is a well-constructed yarn which was difficult to research as a lot of the information was classified. Some of the names were changed and composite characters brought in to the story to represent the types of intelligence sources that the Wilsons would have encountered. Liman delivers a believable interpretation of a headline story without entering into the fray with a political agenda. This is not The Bourne Identity, but just as thrilling.
Screenwriters: Jez Butterworth and John-Henry Butterworth based on the books Fair Game by Valerie Plame and Joseph Wilson
Principal cast:
Naomi Watts
Sean Penn
Sam Shephard
Anand Tiwari
Sonya Davison
Ty Burrell
Country: USA/United Arab Emirates
Classification: M
Runtime: 106 mins.
Australian release date: 18 November 2010
Fair Game, directed by Doug Liman, is a political and personal drama. It is based on the books, Fair Game: “My Life as a Spy, My Betrayal by the White House” by Valerie Plame, a real-life CIA covert officer and, Fair Game: “The Politics of Truth: Inside the Lies that Led To War and Betrayed My Wife’s CIA Identity: A Diplomat’s Memoir” by her husband Joseph Wilson, a retired USA ambassador.
The film opens in Washington, where Valerie (Naomi Watts) is given the task of infiltrating Saddam Hussein’s weapons program. It is a crucial period in the lead-up to the second Iraq War. Meanwhile, Joe (Sean Penn) is dispatched by the USA Government to Niger, an African country, where he had previously made official contacts, to write a report detailing the purchase of a large consignment of uranium by the Iraqi Government.
When Joe’s evidence suggested that Iraq was not amassing weapons of mass destruction, he was ignored by the Bush administration. He published his findings in The New York Times. This led to a high-ranking Bush administration official (later exposed as Dick Cheney’s former Chief of Staff I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby), exposing Valerie’s identity as a member of the CIA, thus endangering her family and many of her associates.
Jez and John-Henry Butterworth’s script reveals how the personal effect on their lives in fact outweighed the political. The Wilsons received death threats, the loss of friends and their careers. Both reacted differently. Joe went public declaring that the revelation of his wife’s identity was a criminal act. However, Valerie was reluctant to be thrust into the spotlight as she had always been a secretive person, living the life of a venture capitalist, or so her friends were led to believe.
Watts delivers the performance of her career. She was considered for the part by the producers because of her, ‘easy-going femininity and steely calm’. Penn also gives the performance of his career, on a par with Harvey Milk. They work very well together. They are well-supported by Valerie’s father, Sam (Sam Shepard), who advised her that it was more important to fight for her marriage, than her career.
Fair Game is a well-constructed yarn which was difficult to research as a lot of the information was classified. Some of the names were changed and composite characters brought in to the story to represent the types of intelligence sources that the Wilsons would have encountered. Liman delivers a believable interpretation of a headline story without entering into the fray with a political agenda. This is not The Bourne Identity, but just as thrilling.
