Lisa Phillips

Ok. But it misses the mark. It opens with “This story does not, in any way, claim to be the truth. Nonetheless, it is inspired by true events”. But it IS based on a true story, and it should have just read that way. It may help if you know the original story before watching the film. The film struggles to fully capture the complexity & depth of the true story. The focus of this film is very much on the process of filmmaking rather than the facts of the story and as such, it fails to fully harness its potential and provide a deep understanding of the characters' lives & motivations. The instrumental music throughout is a good example of this. It is often too much & becomes overly dramatic. However, the film does remain classy throughout (acting, directing, sets, wardrobe, camerawork etc) and the casting is superb, with the actors giving some very fine performances. And there are some gorgeous scenes with sets that show the sumptuous side of life in Washington, D.C. So, it is worth watching for this alone! LP