Plot: What’s it about?
Veronica Guerin (Cate Blanchett) is a reporter for the Sunday Independent, where she writes articles that blaze a path to the truth. She isn’t concerned with social events, entertainment, or other fluff pieces, just the truths that the public should know. In Ireland, the streets have turned brutal and drugs are more prominent than ever before. The mixture of violence and addiction heats up to a boil, so normal folks cannot even walks the streets without fear. The problem haunts all of Ireland too, not just isolated areas within the nation. The current state of Ireland is an issue that Guerin can’t put out of her mind, so she decides to mount her own personal mission. She uses her position as a journalist to interview several powerful underground figures, the very men who ensure that drugs remain in the spotlight of the streets. These men profit from the chaos Guerin hates, so to her, these are the men who need to be punished. At first, Guerin is issued mild warnings to leave the subject alone, but she refuses and pushes ahead. As she probes deeper and uncovers more of the truth, the warnings become more bold and violent. Guerin is shaken, but continues her quest to reveal the truth, but what will the cost of her actions be?
This looked like it could have been a tense, riveting motion picture, which seemed odd, given the talent involved. At the helm was Joel Schumacher, who isn’t that respected for his work and the producer was Jerry Bruckheimer, who knows how to turn a buck, but rarely puts together a good movie. So Veronica Guerin was an unusual project for both to be involved with, since it was based on deep, complex real life events. As it turned out, Bruckheimer and Schumacher lived up to their reputations, as Veronica Guerin fails in almost all respects. A great story with loads of cinematic potential is thinned down to the mere basics, which isn’t a surprise, given the involvement of the already mentioned director and producer. The characters lack the depth needed and in a dramatic picture like Veronica Guerin, that is inexcusable. I mean, the whole point of this movie is to learn about this incredible woman, but this production tones her down to almost a caricature. The lack of talent behind the camera was unable to hold down the performers however, as the cast provides the lone highlight. Cate Blanchett storms through the thin material with ease and her presence adds a lot to this movie, no doubt about. In the end, Veronica Guerin should have been a dynamic movie, but the wrong production team was behind the scenes. So even with a great treatment from Touchstone, this disc is tough to recommend.
I hold Cate Blanchett up with some of the best performers out there, as she has excellent screen presence and terrific range. She can run the gauntlet of characters, from sweet to sexy to sophisticated to cruel, with no lapse in depth. Of course, she can go over the top when needed, but for the most part, she stays within the lines. As such, she has taken on a wide selection of roles in her career, with a lot of memorable performances. I think she is most enjoyable when she is given some level of humor to work with, as she can be incredible in a sly, sexually charged role. In this movie however, she is given neither of those traits. Instead, she is as serious and toned down as possible, though she remains effective. But Blanchett is held back by the thin material, which is a shame, as the real life Veronica Guerin wasn’t this simple. The filmmakers involved wanted a simple take on Guerin however, so Blanchett had to make do with the material. With a deeper look into the role however, Blanchett could have shined. Other films with Blanchett include Elizabeth, The Shipping News, An Ideal Husband, The Fellowship of the Ring, and Bandits. The cast also includes Cirian Hinds (Road to Perdition, The Sum of All Fears), Gerard McSorley (The Boxer, Angela’s Ashes), and Brenda Fricker (Masterminds, My Left Foot).
Video: How does it look?
Veronica Guerin is presented in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen. This is a more than solid transfer, but not as good as I expected. The print looks great, with no real issues to mention, but the visuals come off as unrefined. I suppose the softness could be intentional, but the visuals varies so much, I doubt that is the case. The image lacks the kind of fine detail we’re used to, so this looks like a soft, often even muddled treatment. So if you want a sharp, refined presentation, you’re out of luck with this release. But the softness is never that bad, as some scenes look good and others show no signs of those troubles. The colors come across well, with some amped up hues in some scenes, while contrast is consistent throughout. Not a top notch treatment, but the movie looks solid and as such, we can’t be too upset.
Audio: How does it sound?
This release sports dual 5.1 surround options in Dolby Digital and DTS, but the movie is an odd choice for such a treatment. I am always pleased to see a DTS track on any release, but in this case, the added option isn’t that much of an improvement. The film uses a lot of dialogue, with no real dynamic sequences and little in terms of atmosphere. So even when the movie gets loud, it is the voices, not the sound effects. As such, these tracks have minimal openings to shine, though the material sounds as good as possible. The music adds some much needed depth though, so the extra audio attention isn’t wasted. This disc also includes a French language track, as well as subtitles in English and Spanish.
Supplements: What are the extras?
A wide selection of audio comments can be heard, thanks to two full length sessions and one that covers select scenes. Joel Schumacher lends his director’s comments in the first full track, while the second is with writers Mary Agnes Donoghue and Carol Doyle. The director’s track is excellent, with a more brutal and candid take on the production than you’d expect, which makes this a must listen supplement. The second track has its moments, but is mostly silence or off topic comments that don’t amount to much. Jerry Bruckheimer lends his thoughts on select scenes in the third track, but he fails, as always, to admit how bad most of his movies are. This disc also includes some still photos, a deleted scene, and two brief featurettes.
