Nothing But the Truth

MPAA Rating:

for language, some sexual material and a scene of violence.

Moral Rating:

_____

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Moviemaking Quality:

Primary Audience:

Adults

Genre:

Crime, Thriller, Drama

Length:

1 hr. 48 min.

Year of Release:

2008

USA Release:

December 19, 2008 (New York City)
January 9, 2009 (limited)
DVD: April 28, 2009

Relevant Issues

Truth

Justice

The final judgment of God

Featuring:	Kate Beckinsale “The Aviator,” “Pearl Harbor,” “Underworld” Matt Dillon, Angela Bassett, Alan Alda, Vera Farmiga, David Schwimmer, Noah Wyle, Courtney B. Vance, Floyd Abrams, Preston Bailey, Kristen Bough, Julie Ann Emery, Robert Harvey, Michael O'Neill, Kristen Shaw, Angelica Torn, Jamey Sheridan, Pamela Jones, Jennifer McCoy, David Bridgewater, Jenny Odle Madden, Rod Lurie, Janie Paris, Jim Palmer, Clay Chamberlin, Joseph Murphy, Ashley LeConte Campbell, Scott Williamson, Dan Abrams, Elizabeth Annewilson, Jon Sparks, Erin Dangler, Randall Hartzog, Craig Wright, Phil Darius Wallace, Kelly Holleman, Allen Overton Battle III, Teri Itkin, Angie Gilbert, Antonio Morton, Blake Brooks, Carol Russell, Verda Davenport Booher, Robert P. Campbell, Michael Detroit, Jeffrey W. Bailey, Garnet Brooks, William J. Immerman, D'Army Bailey, Lowell Perry, Merle Dandridge
Director:	Rod Lurie “The Last Castle,” “Resurrecting the Champ,” “The Contender”
Producer:	Battleplan Productions, Yari Film Group, Dennis Brown, Marc Frydman, David Glasser, William J. Immerman, Rod Lurie, James Spies, Bob Yari
Distributor:	Yari Film Group Releasing

“Don’t reveal the source”

Producer’s Synopsis: “Inspired By true events / In Washington, D.C., a female reporter faces a possible jail sentence for outing a CIA agent and refusing to reveal her source.

Writer-director Rod Lurie’s new film is the story of Rachel Armstrong (Kate Beckinsale), a young reporter on the national desk of the Capitol Sun-Times, a major Washington, D.C. daily. Rachel writes an explosive story that reveals the identity of covert CIA agent Erica Van Doren (Vera Farmiga) that, once published, causes all hell to break loose and the government to demand the identity of Rachel’s source.

With the support of her editor, Bonnie (Angela Bassett), her paper’s in-house attorney (Noah Wyle) and her husband, Ray (David Schwimmer), Rebecca defies the charismatic, career-minded special prosecutor, Patton Dubois (Matt Dillon). When Rachel also declines to reveal her source to U.S. District Court Judge Hall (Floyd Abrams), he cites her with contempt of court and throws her in jail, pointing out that Rachel alone holds the keys to her cell and that time in the D.C. Detention Center may help her come to realize this.

The story follows the hardships Rachel experiences behind bars as well as the legal struggle played out by her attorney, Albert Burnside (Alan Alda), as he pleads her case on First Amendment grounds—a case he argues all the way to the U. S. Supreme Court. Everyone is rabid to know: Who is the source and why is Rebecca so committed to sacrificing so much to protect it?

As with Lurie’s filmmaking breakout THE CONTENDER, for which Joan Allen and Jeff Bridges were both nominated for Academy Awards^®, NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH is set in Washington, D.C., staged at the harrowing intersection of governmental power and personal integrity and told from a distinctly feminine perspective.

While THE CONTENDER focused on one ground-breaking female Senator’s fight to maintain her dignity as she weathers a partisan dirty trick on her way to assume the office of Vice President, NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH portrays two very different, very strong Washington women as they fight to protect what they hold most dear.

TRUTH’s Rachel Armstrong fights to protect her source, her integrity and her career. And after being exposed as a covert CIA operative, Erica Van Doren fights to protect her reputation within the agency and the sanctity of her other life as a caring suburban mother.

Written and directed by Rod Lurie, NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH is a Yari Film Group release. The film is produced by Bob Yari, Marc Frydman and Lurie, with James Spies serving as executive producer. Alik Sakharov is the director of photography; Eloise Stammerjohn is production designer; Lynn Falconer is costume designer and Sarah Boyd is the editor. The film was shot on location in Memphis, Tennessee.”

Volunteer reviewer needed for this movie—Request this assignment

See list of Relevant Issues—questions-and-answers.

Positive

Positive—This was a well made movie. The only criticism I would have is that it is unbelievable that any reporter who would use the words of a child to write an article which could cause so much damage. Other than that, the movie was thought-provoking and and good study on human failings under tough times. It is obvious that there was no relationships with God in any of these characters which led them only to their own understandings. But, that is what we now expect routinely from seculist cinema.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 4
—John Rubio, age 57 (USA)

Neutral

Neutral—The story line is loosely based on the true story of the CIA agent’s identity being released. The reporter refuses to give up the name of her source and is sent to jail for contempt. It does a good job of making you ask yourself if she should just give up the name and go on with her life. But, you have to also ask yourself would you stand on your principals after being threatened and then having those threats come to fruition. You start asking yourself the same question about other principals that we as Christians hold dear as well.

Anyway, as far as the movie goes, quite a bit of language. There is one mild sex scene—which is a conjugal visit.

A good movie to get you thinking and a pretty good amount of drama to keep you interested. I’m sure there was an underlying political message (powerful gov’t agencies) in there too, but it was pretty subtle.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 3½
—Kevin, age 42 (USA)

Negative

none