Review of Reality (2023) by Eludiumq36 — 11 Jun 2023

"Reality" (2023, 80-min, Max) is a docudrama that depicts the events of Reality Winner's arrest by the FBI for leaking classified info to The Intercept. Its cinema verité style is fine but this film works better as an FBI training vehicle since they're pretty much glorified in this treatment.

Dialogue references to The Intercept were censored which was stupid and annoying. They clearly took advantage of the naiveté of this 25 yo, coming on all friendly like without making her aware of her right to remain silent - which she should've known, too.

And what'd she get for her cooperation and openness? Jail time - no bail - till her trial which never happened because she pled guilty to a felony agreeing to a sentence of 5 yrs! Um, you'd almost have to think her attorneys were siding with the prosecution - that's a horrible outcome for a leak - based on her perspective of what was right for the American people - that had no impact on anything but her life.

But all of this last part isn't even depicted in the film! You have to go to Wikipedia to find all that out. The film pretty much ends with her arrest, very unsatisfying.