Movie Review: Fair Game

Naomi Watts as Valerie Plame and Sean Penn as Joesph Wilson IV in 'Fair Game'. Photo / Supplied

Doug Liman, director of The Bourne Identity, takes a shot at a real life spy story in this political thriller about undercover CIA operative Valerie Plame (Watts), whose career came to a dramatic end when the White House revealed her identity in 2003.

The details of this Washington scandal have been well documented, and Fair Game doesn't attempt anything clever but rather guides us clearly through to the events leading to and following Plame's outing. What's most interesting about Fair Game is what it reveals about Plame's work - she was a covert agent and specialist in weapons of mass destruction working in the Middle East - and the personal affect this saga had on her, her informants, and her marriage.

Plamegate, as it's known, is a family affair set in motion by Plame's husband, former ambassador Joseph Wilson IV (Penn).

Sent by the CIA to Niger to investigate the possibility Saddam Hussein has bought nuclear weapons-grade uranium in the African nation, Wilson is deeply disturbed that his report, which states this to be a near impossibility, has been ignored by the White House. After writing an article in the New York Times challenging the Bush Administration's evidence used to justify the invasion of Iraq, Plame's identity is allegedly revealed by the White House to discredit them both as unpatriotic.

Watts puts in an impressive performance as the serious, strong and detached Plame. She's the soul of this film, the quiet and solid character we resonate with. Unlike most of the other media-hungry, ego-driven characters (including her husband) her main concern is for her kids and for her informants in Baghdad who, according to this account, were killed after her identity was revealed.

The hand-held camera work remains, but Liman takes a more restrained approach to filming his action scenes than in The Bourne Identity, relying on the tension between his characters rather than visual tricks.

Watching Plame at work in the field is exciting, which is a contrast to the behind-the-scenes politics of the Plame/Wilson marriage that at times turns Fair Game into a melodrama at the expense of the spy thriller buzz.

Based on the books The Politics of Truth by Joseph Wilson and Fair Game by Valerie Plame Wilson, the movie obviously reflects their version of events. Real names have been used, but for entertainment's sake this is still a dramatisation, with some elements of the story simplified, some embellished and some omitted. If you're a George W. Bush fan you won't have to look too hard to claim inaccuracies in this story, but all the same it's a taut and sophisticated thriller.

LOWDOWN

Stars: 4/5
Cast: Naomi Watts, Sean Penn
Director: Doug Liman
Running time: 107 mins
Rating: M (offensive language)
Verdict: A one-sided, well-acted gripping drama

-TimeOut