I wanted to watch Kill the Messenger because the trailer was intriguing and Jeremy Renner looked like he was heavily invested in the character he was playing, Gary Webb. Little did I know or remember what Webb had researched, published, and ultimately died for. The American government was responsible to cooking up and distributing crack to south America countries from the suburbs of Los Angeles. Of course any time the government gets caught with their hands in the cookie jar, they take no responsibility and set out to destroy those who catch them. Gary fell victim to dirty tricks and the power/influence of the CIA. It ruined his career, marriage, and his ability to be a loving and supporting dad. At the end of the day, a few bullets ended the charade, which was buried in the news when the President got caught having an affair. So at the beginning I thought this was gonna be a normal by the numbers kind of biography. As the story progressed and everyone turned their backs on Gary, I started to feel for the guy and got pissed as events continued to unfold. By the end of the movie I was truly amazed and sadden how this guy, who worked hard his life, had been throw to through the meat grinder and never made out the other side. Renner does a fantastic job here, portraying a guy with solid morals and the heart to do the right thing. This story needs a whole lot of background research to fully appreciate the bigger picture, but by just watching this film, you should be amazed how dirty the US Government can play. 8/10 (review contributed for Genre Grandeur on movierob.wordpress.com)
Ten Stars or Less 