Kill the Messenger

20142014
RR
1h 52min

Jeremy Renner in Kill the Messenger (2014)

A reporter becomes the target of a vicious smear campaign that drives him to the point of suicide after he exposes the CIA's role in arming Contra rebels in Nicaragua and importing cocaine into California. Based on the true story of journalist Gary Webb.

Biography Crime Drama

Journalist Gary Webb, California 1996, started investigating CIA's role in the 1980s in getting crack cocaine to the black part of LA to get money and weapons to the Contras/freedom fighters in Nicaragua.Journalist Gary Webb, California 1996, started investigating CIA's role in the 1980s in getting crack cocaine to the black part of LA to get money and weapons to the Contras/freedom fighters in Nicaragua.Journalist Gary Webb, California 1996, started investigating CIA's role in the 1980s in getting crack cocaine to the black part of LA to get money and weapons to the Contras/freedom fighters in Nicaragua.Journalist Gary Webb, California 1996, started investigating CIA's role in the 1980s in getting crack cocaine to the black part of LA to get money and weapons to the Contras/freedom fighters in Nicaragua.Journalist Gary Webb, California 1996, started investigating CIA's role in the 1980s in getting crack cocaine to the black part of LA to get money and weapons to the Contras/freedom fighters in Nicaragua.

Director
- Michael Cuesta
Writers
- Peter Landesman
- Gary Webb(book "Dark Alliance")
- Nick Schou(book "Kill the Messenger")
Stars

See production, box office & company info

See production, box office & company info

Awards
- 3 wins & 6 nominations

Videos8

Trailer #1

Clip

Clip

Clip

Kill the Messenger

Featurette 3:18

Kill the Messenger

B-roll

B-roll

B-roll

Andy Garcia in Kill the Messenger (2014)

Jeremy Renner in Kill the Messenger (2014)

Oliver Platt, Jeremy Renner, and Mary Elizabeth Winstead in Kill the Messenger (2014)

Jeremy Renner and Paz Vega in Kill the Messenger (2014)

Jeremy Renner and Rosemarie DeWitt in Kill the Messenger (2014)

Tim Blake Nelson and Jeremy Renner in Kill the Messenger (2014)

Ray Liotta and Jeremy Renner in Kill the Messenger (2014)

Jeremy Renner, Rosemarie DeWitt, and Lucas Hedges in Kill the Messenger (2014)

Robert Patrick, E. Roger Mitchell, and Jeremy Renner in Kill the Messenger (2014)

Oliver Platt in Kill the Messenger (2014)

Jeremy Renner in Kill the Messenger (2014)

Barry Pepper and Clay Edmund Kraski in Kill the Messenger (2014)

Director
- Michael Cuesta
Writers
- Peter Landesman
- Gary Webb(book "Dark Alliance")
- Nick Schou(book "Kill the Messenger")
All cast & crew

See production, box office, & company info

Savages

6.5

State of Play

7.1

Kill the Irishman

7.1

Kill the Irishman

Breach

7.0

Snowden

7.3

The Frozen Ground

6.4

The Frozen Ground

The Next Three Days

7.3

The Next Three Days

Green Zone

6.8

Dead Man Down

6.5

Fair Game

6.8

The Iceman

6.8

Marauders

5.5

Based on the true story of journalist Gary Webb. The film takes place in the mid-1990s, when Webb uncovered the CIA's past role in importing huge amounts of cocaine into the U.S. that was aggressively sold in ghettos across the country to raise money for the Nicaraguan Contras' rebel army. Despite enormous pressure not to, Webb chose to pursue the story and went public with his evidence, publishing the series "Dark Alliance". As a result he experienced a vicious smear campaign fueled by the CIA. At that point Webb found himself defending his integrity, his family, and his life. —Milena Joy Morris

based on true story journalist nicaraguan contras smear campaign cocaine 75 more

Taglines
- Can you keep a national secret?
Genres
Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)
- Rated R for language and drug content
Parents guide

Trivia
Various members of the cast and crew have admitted to receiving government-level "push back" to the film, both during filming and in post-production.

Goofs
Jerry Ceppos announces that Gary has been named the National Press Association's Journalist of the Year. There is no such thing as the National Press Association. He was named Journalist of the Year by the Bay Area Society of Professional Journalists. This is why he is speaking at the SPJ awards at the end of the film.

Quotes
Gary Webb: American kids did die and are still dying, just not the ones you care about apparently.

Crazy credits
Just before the closing credits, there is a short video showing the real Gary Webb at home with his children.

Connections
Featured in The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon: Jeremy Renner/Carol Burnett/Mario Batali (2014)

Soundtracks
Bring It On Home
Written by Tommy Girvin and Don Cromwell
Performed by Ransom
Courtesy of 474 Records and Music Supervisor Inc.

Top review

10/10

Gripping and Important

"Kill the Messenger" is both a very gripping film and an important film. Even though I know what our government was up to in those days (as if things have changed), I could hardly breathe, anticipating what would come next in the movie. My only concern about the film is the speculation that those who are ignorant of what occurred in those days would grasp that the money from drug sales went to buy weapons (it was almost glossed over). The acting in this film is superb, with one exception (the person who played Coral Baca--way overdone and not convincing). Knowing that the film is based on true events gives it amazing heft. I think it's an unforgettable portrayal of how our government can go astray--it's history but also a warning for those of us who have been demoralized by the current state of politics and who tend to trust certain names in the media. The film should be required viewing by every member of Congress, by every high school student, by those who call themselves journalists.

helpful•132

15

clg238
Oct 13, 2014

Release date
- October 9, 2014 (Hungary)
Country of origin
- United States
Official sites
- Official Site
- Production Notes
Language
- English
Also known as
- Убити посланця
Filming locations
- Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Production companies
See more company credits at IMDbPro

Gross US & Canada
- $2,450,846
Opening weekend US & Canada
- $941,809
- Oct 12, 2014
Gross worldwide
- $5,218,973

See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

Runtime
- 1h 52min
Color
- Color
Sound mix
- Dolby Digital
- Datasat
Aspect ratio
- 2.35 : 1

Horror comedy ‘Thursday the 12th’ gets its first trailer!

Horror comedy ‘Thursday the 12th’ gets its first trailer!

Horror News – New movie trailer releases today for “Thursday the 12th” – New Poster Included!

Horror News – New movie trailer releases today for “Thursday the 12th” – New Poster Included!

Apr 21Horror News

More to explore

View list

The Best Book-to-Screen Adaptations in the Works

See the full list

Image caption not available

6 Shows Everyone's Still Talking About

Watch the video

Around the web

Powered by Taboola

Recently viewed

You have no recently viewed pages