richard nixon, gerald ford, jimmy carter, ronald reagan
snatches of speeches from all of them open this film
each talking about their determination to fight drugs
western civilisation as we know it at threat it seems
nixon in particular announcing the start of the war
a bold start to this true story of reporter gary webb
played by jeremy renner last seen in the hurt locker
first seen interviewing a drug czar at his lavish home
then caught up in a brutal police raid - the war is on
webb files a report on the illegal confiscation of assets
so telling us he is a stickler for the truth no matter what
this then draws the attention of a reader with a story to tell
she the voluptuous girlfriend of an importer of nicaraguan drugs
he witnesses a sham of a court case where charges are dropped
she hands over some documents and delivers more to his home
in his absence - wife sue is not impressed and confronts gary
questioning is it happening again - a past affair suggested
with it a forced relocation of the family from ohio to san jose
a fresh start - gary promising he is not going to screw up again
scenes then of time with his kids including now 16 year old son
dad's birthday present - a derelict 1971 triumph tiger motorbike
and a promise and want to spend time with his son restoring it
gary also proudly drives a classic green triumph tr6 sports car
the delivered documents are transcripts of aborted court cases
a pattern and further facts emerge about government activity
they are clearly funding the importation of tonnes of cocaine
dumping them into poor communities and fueling addiction
a covert operation to continue funding of the contra rebels
nicaraguan freedom fighters out to depose their government
a communist regime that the u s government naturally oppose
heavy stuff - and our man webb knows it but pushes for the truth
initially he has the support of his editor and manager at his work
this the local paper - the san jose mercury - they want a big story
gary with much celebration then publishes 'the dark alliance'
in a clever directional move we see actual 1996 tv footage
showing the real gary webb in prime time tv interviews
very effectively adding a reality check to this dramatisation
official feathers have been ruffled and recriminations begin
the maligned cia then start a process of discrediting gary
prior witnesses suddenly claim they never spoke to him
his work colleagues go soft and withdraw overt support
even his family are under surveillance - the pressure builds
he moves out of the family home and is assigned menial work
a big awards dinner for him as journalist of the year falls flat
only his accompanying wife and son show pride and support
as he walks out he drops a letter of resignation to his boss
that the start of a seven year decline leading to his death
found dead at home - shot twice - officially it is suicide
as the film winds up there is more actual footage shown
particularly various community leaders decrying drugs
and the effect of the cocaine arriving in large volumes
the war on drugs ineffective with dirty politics involved
suggestions the government in part was at war on itself
all in the name of democracy - or at least capitalism
anything but communism - and absolutely anything
an interesting fact shown in the end of film credits
it seems gary webb was exonerated in a cia report
but upon release the media was busy with a big issue
clinton had been busted not having sexual relations
terrific film - and not just a dry full-on fact check
there's a man - and his family - at the heart of it
add this to the list of everyone-should-see...
