Questionable journalism and problematic civil service collide in “Run This Town,” writer-director Ricky Tollman’s dramatization of former Toronto Mayor Rob Ford’s final year in office.
Ben Platt plays a milquetoast stand-in for the actual journalists who exposed Ford’s transgressions in a film that collects too many characters and too few clear ideas on how to treat — or connect — the concentric circles around misbehaving politicians, their protectors or enablers, and members of the would-be media trying to do their job in an increasingly inhospitable economic climate.
Platt plays Bram Shriver, a recent college graduate and award-winning student journalist who lands an entry-level job at The Record, a print and online publication in Toronto. While his parents fret over his finances, Bram bemoans the listicle grunt work assigned by David (Scott Speedman), his editor, while gingerly seeking challenges doled out to senior reporters.
Also Read: Ben Platt's SXSW Favorite...
Ben Platt plays a milquetoast stand-in for the actual journalists who exposed Ford’s transgressions in a film that collects too many characters and too few clear ideas on how to treat — or connect — the concentric circles around misbehaving politicians, their protectors or enablers, and members of the would-be media trying to do their job in an increasingly inhospitable economic climate.
Platt plays Bram Shriver, a recent college graduate and award-winning student journalist who lands an entry-level job at The Record, a print and online publication in Toronto. While his parents fret over his finances, Bram bemoans the listicle grunt work assigned by David (Scott Speedman), his editor, while gingerly seeking challenges doled out to senior reporters.
Also Read: Ben Platt's SXSW Favorite...
- 3/4/2020
- by Todd Gilchrist
- The Wrap
A superbly entertaining new thriller from Ricky Tollman, Run This Town offers a fictionalized account of late Toronto mayor Rob Ford’s well-documented issues battling addiction and megalomania. As a disclaimer, the story was largely broken by Robyn Doolittle of the Globe and Mail. Tollman’s fictionalization of the events focuses on Bram (Ben Platt), who writes listicles for a local paper while dreaming of making his way in the world. We’re first introduced to him when he finds out that because he didn’t register, he won’t technically be able to graduate from journalism school despite completing all course requirements.
Run This Town balances a fledgling Bram’s entry into the world of journalism with a story of Ford staffers, including aide Kamal (Mena Massoud) and new addition Ashley Pollock (Nina Dobrev), who operate a spin machine that keeps embarrassing details out of the news. It can...
Run This Town balances a fledgling Bram’s entry into the world of journalism with a story of Ford staffers, including aide Kamal (Mena Massoud) and new addition Ashley Pollock (Nina Dobrev), who operate a spin machine that keeps embarrassing details out of the news. It can...
- 3/13/2019
- by John Fink
- The Film Stage
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