Veronica Guerin *** (2003, Cate Blanchett, Gerard McSorley, Ciarán Hinds, Brenda Fricker, Colin Farrell) – Classic Movie Review 3330

Director Joel Schumacher’s 2003 true-story thriller stars Cate Blanchett, who excels as fearless Dublin reporter Veronica Guerin, who dices with death – even after her life is threatened – to pursue the story of an evil, drug-dealing crime boss (Gerard McSorley). Blanchett carries this able, well-meaning retelling of the 1996-set true tale. Brenda Fricker is outstanding as mom, Bernie Guerin.

[Spoiler alert] A reporter for The Sunday Independent, Irish journalist Veronica Guerin was gunned down in 1996 by killers hired by the drug lords she exposed.

The role was previously personified in a fictionalised form by Joan Allen (as Sinead Hamilton) in When the Sky Falls (2000). Though both this version and Blanchett are good, they fall slightly short of the earlier film and star performance.

The screenplay is by Carol Doyle and Mary Agnes Donoghue, based on Doyle’s story.

© Derek Winnert 2016 Classic Movie Review 3330

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