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.
