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IMDbPro

Kill the Messenger

  • 20142014
  • RR
  • 1h 52m
IMDb RATING
6.9/10
47K
YOUR RATING
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.
Play trailer2:20
8 Videos
43 Photos
  • 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... Read allJournalist 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.
IMDb RATING
6.9/10
47K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Michael Cuesta
  • Writers
    • Peter Landesman
    • Gary Webb(book "Dark Alliance")
    • Nick Schou(book "Kill the Messenger")
  • Stars
    • Jeremy Renner
    • Robert Patrick
    • Jena Sims
Top credits
  • Director
    • Michael Cuesta
  • Writers
    • Peter Landesman
    • Gary Webb(book "Dark Alliance")
    • Nick Schou(book "Kill the Messenger")
  • Stars
    • Jeremy Renner
    • Robert Patrick
    • Jena Sims
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 139User reviews
    • 169Critic reviews
    • 60Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 3 wins & 6 nominations

    Videos8

    Trailer #1
    Trailer 2:20
    Trailer #1
    Clip
    Clip 1:33
    Clip
    Clip
    Clip 1:11
    Clip
    Clip
    Clip 0:53
    Clip
    Kill the Messenger
    Featurette 3:18
    Kill the Messenger
    B-roll
    Video 5:59
    B-roll
    B-roll
    Video 4:45
    B-roll
    B-roll
    Video 3:57
    B-roll

    Photos43

    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)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Jeremy Renner
    Jeremy Renner
    • Gary Webbas Gary Webb
    Robert Patrick
    Robert Patrick
    • Ronald J. Quailas Ronald J. Quail
    Jena Sims
    Jena Sims
    • Quail's Girlfriendas Quail's Girlfriend
    Robert Pralgo
    Robert Pralgo
    • LA Sheriffas LA Sheriff
    Hajji Golightly
    • DEA Agentas DEA Agent
    Ted Huckabee
    Ted Huckabee
    • Bobas Bob
    Mary Elizabeth Winstead
    Mary Elizabeth Winstead
    • Anna Simonsas Anna Simons
    Lucas Hedges
    Lucas Hedges
    • Ian Webbas Ian Webb
    Rosemarie DeWitt
    Rosemarie DeWitt
    • Sue Webbas Sue Webb
    Matt Lintz
    Matt Lintz
    • Eric Webbas Eric Webb
    Parker Douglas
    • Christine Webbas Christine Webb
    Kai Schmoll
    • Sacramento Journalistas Sacramento Journalist
    Joshua Close
    Joshua Close
    • Rich Klineas Rich Kline
    • (as Josh Close)
    Paz Vega
    Paz Vega
    • Coral Bacaas Coral Baca
    Aaron Farb
    Aaron Farb
    • Rafael Cornejoas Rafael Cornejo
    Barry Pepper
    Barry Pepper
    • Russell Dodsonas Russell Dodson
    Tom Jordan
    • San Francisco Judgeas San Francisco Judge
    Clay Edmund Kraski
    Clay Edmund Kraski
    • DEA Agent Jonesas DEA Agent Jones
    • (as Clay Kraski)
    • Director
      • Michael Cuesta
    • Writers
      • Peter Landesman
      • Gary Webb(book "Dark Alliance")
      • Nick Schou(book "Kill the Messenger")
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • 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.

    User reviews139

    Review
    Top review
    8/10
    An Explosive Exposé Important Enough To Suppress
    The longer I cogitate on Michael Cuesta's KILL THE MESSENGER, the more I realise just how unobtrusively compelling this film truly is.

    Inspired by the life of Pulitzer prize-winning journalist Gary Webb (Jeremy Renner) and his 'Dark Alliance' exposé on the explosion of crack cocaine in the United States (which inevitably ruined his career), the film draws attention to the power and reach of fourth and fifth estate journalism and to the subjective objectivism of its gatekeepers.

    Having said all that, if you take the time to reach beyond this controversial surface story and embrace Sean Bobbitt's intimate framing and selective foci, you'll discover Gary; a doggedly passionate and humanly flawed individual whose good intention to report a story 'just too true to tell' results in an overwhelmingly biased and unfair challenge on his credibility and integrity with devastating consequences.

    Renner's (THE HURT LOCK, THE BOURNE LEGACY) performance is captivating in its subtlety; allowing momentary characters including Norwin Meneses (Andy Garcia), Fred Weil (Michael Sheen) and Jerry Ceppos (Oliver Platt) to drive the story's factual elements in a similar manner experienced by Webb. The use of medium and close-up shots and oscillating lighting gives you a bird's eye view to Renner's struggles as the voraciously shocking professional and personal smear campaign takes its toll. Renner becomes more unashamedly haggard with dwindling moments of indignation on screen at each roadblock. It may also explain why Cuesta opted to gloss over the pivotal points of this sad story and tie it up in Webb's panegyric acceptance speech and closing title card.

    Overall, I quite enjoyed this film and would recommend that you take some time out to see it. Sure it has its flaws –but so does Gary Webb and the story itself - but that's why it works. As Webb said on reflection 'The reason I'd enjoyed such smooth sailing for so long hadn't been, as I'd assumed, because I was careful and diligent and good at my job. The truth was that, in all those years, I hadn't written anything important enough to suppress'.

    You can catch me at my handle and at The Hollywood News.
    helpful•32
    8
    • theSachaHall
    • Nov 17, 2014

    Details

    Edit
    • 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
      • Sierra / Affinity
      • Bluegrass Films
      • The Combine
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • 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

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 52 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
      • Datasat
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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