Official Secrets (2019)

Official Secrets tells the story of British whistleblower, Katharine Gun, who leaked a document that showed an attempt by the US and the UK to rig a UN Security Council vote in favour of launching an attack on Iraq in 2003.  As we know, that attack still happened.  But her effort was probably unique in that it attempted to stop a war before it actually happened.  And it stopped the US and UK from getting a justifiable reason for the war. 

What makes the movie stand out is not just the importance of the story (which, by the way, didn’t get as widespread a coverage as it deserved) but the way it is structured, presenting multiple perspectives.  Among other things, it gives the viewer a bone-chilling look at the legal challenge that she faced.  It also lays bare the obstacles faced by The Observer in putting out the story.  The performances are uniformly excellent.  Keira Knightley shines in the lead role.  The superb supporting cast includes Matt Smith, Matthew Goode, Rhys Ifans, and Ralph Fiennes.

Here’s a link to the trailer.