Rating:  

River Road Entertainment, Participant Media, Imagenation Abu Dhabi FZ, Zucker Pictures, Hypnotic, Weed Road Pictures, Fair Game Productions, and Summit Entertainment.

Written by: Jez Butterworth and John-Henry Butterworth, adapted from the novels “The Politics of Truth” by Joe Wilson and “Fair Game” by Valerie Plame.

Directed by Doug Liman (“The Bourne Identity”, “Mr. & Mrs. Smith”), “Fair Game” is an easy watch, not saddled with insular political speak or the confusing subplots that can derail a lot of political thrillers. The story, a cinematic version of the controversial outing of one of the U.S. Government’s top CIA Agents, Valerie Plame, is mesmerizing and intriguing. Liman, working on an adapted screenplay from the British team of Jez and John-Henry Butterworth, delivers a cerebral and rather damning indictment on the Bush Administration, not only because of Plame’s outing but also with reference to the U.S. making the case for and then following through with the events which led to the initiation of the 2003 Iraq War.

Plame (Naomi Watts) is a secret CIA operative who travels around the world under assumed names while being tasked with the discovering, reporting, and handling of highly confidential and dangerous intelligence for the Federal Government. Her husband, Joe Wilson (Sean Penn), served as an Ambassador for African Affairs and is aware that his wife works for the CIA, but has no true sense of what work his wife conducts for the agency. Wilson is sent by Administration officials to Niger to investigate the possible selling of massive amounts of yellow cake uranium to a Saddam Hussein-led Iraq. The implication and available intelligence seem to indicate that if the deal went through, Hussein is ordering and/or overseeing the creation of weapons of mass destruction, a/k/a WMD’s.

Wilson returns with a report that provides no evidence that Niger has a working deal with Iraq or that a yellow cake uranium deal ever took place. Furthermore, Wilson indicates that no evidence exists that yellow cake uranium is even present in the country. The report ends up in front of Plame and she is informed that because intelligence seems to indicate otherwise, another convoy will be sent to garner a secondary look. Plame is upset but powerless in stopping the second trip from taking place.

Soon after Wilson’s report is filed, cabinet members of the Bush Administration, including the President himself, make the case to the public that Iraq has obtained and now possesses the ability to manufacture WMD’s. The edict has been delivered and the U.S. stands at the brink of war with Iraq. As Wilson and Plame are shocked and confused, most alarming for Plame is that she has been working with an Iraqi ex-pat, Dr. Zahraa (Liraz Chahri), who Plame arranges to visit her brother, Hammad (Khaled Nabawy) back home. Hammad has a functional and working knowledge of the Iraqi weapons program and through Dr. Zahraa, Plame learns that the nuclear program has been non-functional for years. As Plame attempts to gather and present her information, the U.S. begins air strikes in Iraq.

The rest is history. Joe Wilson, outraged by the Bush Administration’s declaration of war in contrast to his findings, wrote an Op-Ed piece for the New York Times and was vilified publicly by the Administration. Then in 2004, the bombshell report by columnist Robert Novak was published in which Novak cited an unnamed Administration official who, in turn, identified Wilson’s wife, Valerie Plame, as an undercover CIA operative. For Plame the nightmare becomes all too real as she learns that she can no longer work in her present capacity and can have no protection for, or further contacts with, her sources around the world. Seemingly and suddenly, the life Plame and Wilson both knew will never be the same again.

“Fair Game” is confident that it has its details right and never flinches in presenting its story. Perhaps some fact-checking is necessary, but this remarkable story remains troublesome on its most basic level. Some incendiary allegations are made that will stir up anger and frustration amongst Bush Administration supporters, but the film handles everything it tackles quite well. Terrific work by Naomi Watts and Sean Penn, as well as consistent performances from an impressively gathered ensemble, keep things on track and tangible to the viewer.

And yet as Doug Liman pushes us through the lead up to Valerie Plame’s betrayal by her own government, there is an emotional disconnect form the material. Surprisingly, “Fair Game” is not nearly the emotional viewing experience I was anticipating. The Plame outing by Bush Administration officials, namely by Scooter Libby with the storm cloud of Dick Cheney hanging overhead, is shocking and indefensible but lacks that gutpunch the true story provides. Systematically, we see Plame’s professional life meticulously carried out to absolute detail and are given a peek behind the curtain of the Wilson marriage before, during, and following the leak.

Ultimately, Doug Liman has made a really interesting film quite well that tells an unbelievable story in a matter-of-fact and linear style. For a film whose story seems built around the theme of trust and the costs we pay for trust in our families, our employers, and our government and country, the film shies away from saying anything truly profound. That it comes off obvious does not diminish its likability however and Doug Liman has made an efficient and entertaining film. “Fair Game” is not a bad film at all, just easy and conspicuous when it begs to be so much more.

Should I See It?

Those familiar with the Valerie Plame story, or have read the books both Plame and her husband, Joe Wilson, wrote about this situation, will want to see the big screen version of these events.

Naomi Watts delivers another nuanced and effective performance, while Sean Penn settles into his supporting role nicely. They work very well together.

Those with left-leaning politics will find a lot of comfort food with the film’s opinions and political ideologies unmasked and out in the open.

NO

This is not a documentary-style investigative work. I think the intent is there, but “Fair Game” ends up playing as a really engaging and effective suspense/thriller, but misses that galvanizing series of moments many are hoping for.

Emotionally vacant even when it aims for outrage, you may watch this and feel nothing at all for the parties involved.

Those with right-leaning politics will find a lot of frustration with the Bush-bashing here, and the left-leaning political agenda is unmasked and out in the open.