Stephen Bishop

One is waaaaaay too much Where to start? Firstly, save your money. The film is tedious and linear and offers zero credible character development. The characters themselves are cliches and preach to the audience. The lead character, a seasoned career photo journalist, cracks up at the end of the film whilst the sassy young pretender doesn’t bat an eye when her heroine catches a bullet for her. She even photographs her idol’s dying moments. And thus, the baton is passed on bleuuuurgghhhhh. I very nearly walked out when the hardened heroine showed her soft side and tried on a dress whilst the cliched protege snapped away with her celluloid film camera (when was the last time you saw one of those) - I was consumed by a tidal wave of molasses. The film explores nothing of the fissures in American society which might precipitate such a conflict but simply presents the ongoing conflict as background. At the end of the film I found myself wanting and waiting for someone to cry, “Broken Arrow!” and hopefully hit the cinema. If you want a film about an inspirational photo journalist watch “A Private War” about the truly amazing Marie Colvin or the titular “Veronica Guerin”. The actors in these lead roles truly convey the grit so lacking in the leads in Civil War.