Veronica Guerin

Veronica Guerin is a film about an Irish journalist who put a story ahead of the welfare of her child and husband, as well as above her own life. There are two primary views about her decisions in the film. One is that she was unbelievably courageous and really believed that good always overcomes evil. That justice will always prevail. That one sometimes has to sacrifice one's self for the good of the many. Veronica Guerin thought she could make a difference. She thought the police were doing everything they could to stop the drug trafficking in Dublin. This is the positive view. The other view is that Veronica Guerin was incredibly naive, careless, and insensitive to the needs of her child and husband. That she thought she was a police detective without a gun and was above reproach from criminals. And while the film paints a pretty picture of Dublin's and Ireland's police completely turning around its drug problem, nothing could be further from the truth. There is still a tremendous drug problem in Dublin and in all of Ireland, not to mention the rest of the world. Nothing has really changed. Like all wars, the victims of the War Against Drugs, or any other war, are soon forgotten after noble words at a funeral. That's when everyone goes back to their everyday lives. So which version of Veronica Guerin is correct? That decision would be up to the viewer. And why did Colin Farrell get billing on IMBD as a co-star? He was in the film for two minutes (or less). Talk about a disappearing career. Good movie, though.

This biographical drama grips me so emotionally from the beginning to the end. The contents are so intense that I could literally feel the strain on my body muscles at its end. Cate Blanchett's performance as Veronica Guerin is top-notched. She brings out a character that Ireland can proudly call a true daughter. Guerin was one journalist whose professionalism and belief prevented her from kowtowing to any corrupted system - even the threat of death. Director Joel Schumacher has created a powerful movie that pays true honor to Guerin.

This film has a superb cast of actors. Their characters come through the screen as very real people. Gerard McSorley's impressive performance as John Gilligan will be unforgettable. Oh yes, watch out for Colin Ferrel's cameo. Director Joel Schumacher's way of introducing the audience to the Sunday Independent newspaper's investigative journalist is so appropriate. It generated my curiosity and urge to get behind the uncanny story of the martyred icon. Yep, I was mesmerized by the Guerin character, following and watching every move and act this energetic woman made – up to a point I started gasping with disbelief. Then the flashback followed. Oh yes, every scene flowed with immense power and spirit to document Guerin's suicidal fanaticism and mission. In a very impressively dramatic, yet easy-to-follow, well paced-way, the story of Guerin's background unfolds. I witnessed the type of dangerous and trouble-filled environment facing her. I saw her as a workaholic mother, surrounded by loving family members who were willing to compromise to her very unconventional traits. I was given hints that there was a softer side within her that she refused to make public. The film provides very subtle indications that speak of Guerin's unusual urge to stay a winner – even as a young girl.

This film carries enough shocking scenes to make me understand the driving force behind her seemingly senseless acts. Every word in the dialogue did fill the gap, offering me a better understanding of her character. Blanchett definitely breathes life into the Guerin character with phenomenal credibility and vitality, allowing her personality to shine with such unique journalistic dedication, honesty, courage, determination and obsession. What I see on screen is a woman with true guts – an absolute winner. `I vow that the eyes of justice, the eyes of this journalist will not be shut again,` Blanchett's character has said. `No hand can deter me from my battle for the truth.' Repeatedly, I saw her facing death threats and physical attacks. My anxiety continued to crush me as I watch the evil surrounding her.

Does it always have to take a murder of a tenacious person to channel out public outcry, disgust and legislative actions to fight a crime? Veronica Guerin paid a price for devoting her career and life to exposing Dublin's drug barons and underworld leaders. I salute her. Like Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, she belongs to the best category of journalists who will make the world a safer place to live. This film captures the same vitality as the inspirational ‘Bloody Sunday.' It's definitely a film not to miss.

A+

Cate Blanchett has done it again - played someone you can't take your eyes off of, and not because she's a classic beauty but she's just a good actress and plays such intense roles. Here, she's the single-minded outraged Irish reporter out to expose the drug trafficking in Ireland in the mid 1990s. Yes, it's based on a real person, a very real Veronica Guerin, who took her life in her hands with her desire to have this problem taken care off so the kids in her country wouldn't have such easy access to harmful drugs.

According to the film story, the drug problem was ignored or the police were just ineffective in dealing with it, so Guerin goes after the mob as an investigative reporter. Her husband pleads with her to stop, knowing she could easily be killed. The gangsters were tough and realistically portrayed on film. There is no talk-now-shoot-later nonsense. You mess with them, you will pay. That's the message they give Guerin and you'll have to see the film to find out what happened.

Yup, this is an attention-getter from the start and especially with Blanchett in the lead. A good story and highly recommended.

Just as Veronica Guerin exposed Ireland's underworld drug dealers, Cate Blanchett's marvelous portrayal of Irish journalist-turned-anti-drug-crusader Veronica Guerin seemed to have the actress on a mission to prove that you don't have to look like a pop diva or act like a porn star to be a compelling female lead in a film.

Like many films with an ethnic flavor, we get a supporting cast of ethnic actors in slightly elevated roles from the norm. Most notable from that category are Gerard McSorley as the evil drug-lord, John Gilligan, and Ciaran Hands as street thug John Traynor, who plays both sides of the fence throughout the film.

The story is painful, not only because of what happens to Guerin, but in our knowing that her courage is a direct reaction to our general apathy towards wrongdoing, with so many of us looking the other way that the Veronica Guerins of the world are encouraged to fight evil after the fact, but left as sitting ducks or thrown to the wolves while they are still alive and making noise.

If there's one lesson every viewer of this film should exit with, it is that those of us who are not part of the solution, are part of the problem.

Based on the true-life incidents of Irish reporter Veronica Geurin, this film is a gritty, disparate but continuously compelling take on what eventually led to her violent death. And this is one of the few movies to give an accurate impression of Irish natives, cultures, accents etc. This is also an update of 1999's `When the Sky Falls' starring Joan Allen in the Guerin part. Of course `Veronica Geurin' wouldn't have been made had it not been for the fact that they used fictitious names to protect identities in the former.

The blunt realism of it all is what makes it all the more believable and worthwhile. While on initial appearance this may look like Ireland's answer to `Erin Brockovich', the two films are polar opposite. One is a glamorised, feel-good story of a woman making one of the biggest lawsuits in history, while the other is a gritty, downbeat story of how dangerous journalistic work really is. The conclusion to the movie is pre-determined, so it's what builds up to that point is where the movie succeeds.

The Hollywood interpretation of the Irish has been completely flawed in the past. Films like `Ordinary Decent Criminal', `Evelyn' and `The General' gave out a totally unrealistic impression. But `Veronica Geurin' doesn't make a false move and gives a complete expose of what this country really is. Another huge positive is the sheer engagement of it all. Right from the shocking `didn't-know-it-was-the-ending' opening sequence you'll be hooked. Just too bad that the running time is a mere 96 minutes.

Despite being a slightly young choice (only 33), Cate Blanchett was an excellent choice for the title role. She gets the accent just right, physically looks like the title character, and is always convincing. It really is her show, so support is upstaged for the most part. That isn't to say that the supporting parts are bad in any way. Most characters aren't stereotypes and do well in what little role they have. The only exception being a totally irrelevant and inexplicable cameo from Colin Farrell. The part is very small, but it makes a huge difference and is the only scene in which you remember that you're watching a movie. Meanwhile, director Joel Schumacher has proved to have mastered every genre. Well, not so much mastered as much attempted. Let's just say that he is now officially forgiven for the atrocity that was the previous two Batman movies.

Overall, `Veronica Geurin' is a powerful, rousing fast-based story that leaves an unsurprisingly bad taste. But if you want a new-wave gritty thriller, then this is the film for you. You don't have to be aware of the incident to enjoy the movie, but it would help. My IMDb rating: 7.0/10.