‘The Report’ Review

The Report felt like a stack of homework given to you but something that kind of interests you after getting some explanation. Director-writer Scott Z. Burns throws a lot at you and some you catch, some you miss. It’s based on an actual investigation about CIA’s torturing and political games after the events of September 11th, 2001.

What carries this movie is the atmosphere. The sensation of finding things along with Daniel (Adam Driver) keeps your eyes glued to the screen and the new discoveries also moves the story along. Making the dialogue pop in a film that’s based on a 6,000-page report is a commendable effort. Also the props department deserves some praise especially for the main room where the report is made, those small items really seem like they’re fighting against something big.

However the film’s visual bleakness and unremarkable shots takes a lot out of it. There’s no real standout performances nor are there anything grabbing to brag about. Much of the runtime turns into a dull experience.

Smileys: Dialogue, editing

Frowneys: Directing

It’s just a bit dry, just like homework.

3.0/5