Veronica Guerin (2003)

An Irish journalist writes a series of stories about drug dealers.

Director:

Joel Schumacher

Writers:

Carol Doyle (story), Carol Doyle (screenplay)

Stars:

Cate Blanchett, Colin Farrell, Brenda Fricker

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 3 wins & 13 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Cate Blanchett	...	Veronica Guerin
Gerard McSorley	...	John Gilligan
Ciarán Hinds	...	John Traynor
Brenda Fricker	...	Bernie Guerin
Don Wycherley	...	Chris Mulligan
Barry Barnes	...	Graham Turley
Simon O'Driscoll	...	Cathal Turley
Emmet Bergin	...	Aengus Fanning
Charlotte Bradley	...	Anne Harris
Mark Lambert	...	Willie Kealy
Garrett Keogh	...	Tony Gregory
Maria McDermottroe	...	Geraldine Gilligan
Paudge Behan	...	Brian Meehan
Joe Hanley	...	Eugene 'Dutchie' Holland
David Murray	...	Charles Bowden

Storyline

Based on a true story, this is about the Irish journalist Veronica Guerin (Cate Blanchett), a reporter for The Sunday Independent, who exposed some of Dublin's most powerful crime barons and drug lords in 1996. But later that year she was gunned down by assasins hired by the same criminal drug lords she exposed.

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Plot Keywords:

strong female lead | tough woman | murder of a journalist | shooting a woman | contract murder | 

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Taglines:

Why would anyone want to kill Veronica Guerin?

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Genres:

Biography | Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for violence, language and some drug content

Did You Know?

Trivia

A daily Irish newspaper recently reported that Portlaoise prison (where John Gilligan and Brian Meehan are incarcerated) screens the movie at least once a month in the prison common hall at the request of the prisoners.

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Goofs

All the telephones have the American 'Single' ringing tone, rather than the correct 'double' ringing tone.

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Quotes

Veronica Guerin: You'd do the same. If you saw those kids on the street, you would do the same.

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Crazy Credits

Disclaimer in closing credits: "Chris Mulligan is a fictional composite character based in part on several different people, and certain events in which the character is depicted have been fictionalised for dramatic effect."

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Connections

References Gone with the Wind (1939)

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Soundtracks

Fields of Athenry
Written by Pete St. John
Used by kind permission of Celtic Songs
Performed by Brian O'Donnell

User Reviews

Lightweight script dishonours heavyweight story

Which is a shame considering the great cast, good music and on the streets of Dublin locations. One does not get a sense of Veronica (played by Cate Blanchett and very competently) the star reporter in this. Her methods are glossed over and perhaps portraying another of her investigative reports prior to her final one might have helped understand her methodologies and dedication a little better. As it is, the character is not fully developed and her bare-faced confrontation of the low-lifes of Dublin do not ring true for me. It seems to be all about flirting her way along with the cops, the judges and the criminals themselves to get her stories. I felt the film did not do either Veronica or the story justice. Even the ending which should have been powerful, wallows into the waters of what her death accomplished in terms of changing the laws and then peters out into nothing so the viewer is left both empty hearted and frustrated. What was that again about respecting the viewer? Joel Schumaker, the director, should have left this film to an Irish director. He just didn't get it. And neither did the writers. 7 out of 10 for the excellent cast wasted in this.

Details

Country:

Ireland UK USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

17 October 2003 (USA)

Also Known As:

Chasing the Dragon: The Veronica Guerin Story

Filming Locations:

Newtownmountkennedy, Co. Wicklow, Ireland

Box Office

Budget:

$17,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$611,276, 19 October 2003

Gross USA:

$1,571,504

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$9,439,660

Company Credits

Production Co:

Touchstone Pictures, Jerry Bruckheimer Films, Persevere Productions Ltd.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

98 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1