Idealistic Senate staffer Daniel J. Jones, tasked by his boss to lead an investigation into the CIA’s post 9/11 Detention and Interrogation Program, uncovers shocking secrets.
Several other films will come to mind as viewers take in “The Report.” However, while reminiscent of “The Post,” that story essentially acted as a prequel to “All The President’s Men,” “The Report,” on the other hand, could be best described as a corrected version of the CIA’s account of events portrayed in “Zero Dark Thirty,” starring Jessica Chastain.
The full title of the movie, “The Torture Report” highlights that key theme in a nutshell. Essentially, does torture – euphemized as enhanced interrogation techniques – provide the means to obtain unique intelligence from suspected terrorist detainees? And if not, why did the CIA not only employ such methods but then later attempt to paper over their shortcomings?
Many will remember when Diane Feinstein chaired the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. In 2014, her committee released a summary of the report by Daniel Jones, played by Adam Driver. Annette Bening as Feinstein provides a nuanced performance as the senior senator from California. Findings from the committee’s report led to the enactment of the McCain-Feinstein Anti-Torture Amendment signed into law in 2015.
Driver, perhaps still best known as Kylo Ren from the “Star Wars” series, once again demonstrates his versatile acting talents. Here, he skillfully shifts between quiet perseverance and animated rebuttal in a quest to uncover the truth about enhanced interrogation techniques employed by the CIA after 9/11.
An impressive cast carries this production from start to finish. Ted Levine, probably still best-remembered as serial killer Jame Gumb in “The Silence of the Lambs,” turns in a fine performance as CIA Director and long-time agency operative John Brennan. Matthew Rhys from “The Americans” and “The Post” provides a subtle look from the perspective of the New York Times. Maura Tierney also weighs in as a sort of obtuse, if well-meaning, case manager desperate for useful intelligence.
Tim Blake Nelson as CIA recruit Raymond Nathan supports interrogation efforts as a PA (physician’s assistant) tending to the health needs of captured suspected terrorists. He wryly notes that medical doctors cannot perform such duties because of their Hippocratic Oath, requiring them to do no harm.
John Hamm is Denis McDonough, who eventually becomes Barack Obama’s chief of staff during his second term. At several points, McDonough serves as something of a mentor to Daniel Jones along his career track. Corey Stoll – notable for his role as Congressman Russo in “House of Cards” – offers sage advice to Jones as well.
Douglas Hodge plays a quack psychologist named James Mitchell, who along with his business partner profit handsomely from the use of enhanced interrogation techniques, despite their dubious efficacy. Watching the two men gleefully employ their untested theories on dozens of unwitting captives makes for unpleasant viewing. As the scenes unfold, the grotesque torture performed at the black sites juxtaposes against ostensible American values – acts both irrational and repugnant in equal measure. At one point, when challenged about interpretations of the verbal exchanges with prisoners, the psychologists’ pseudo-science explanation descends into meaningless syllogism.
Parallels to the current political climate – where ethically challenged senior administration officials push back on legitimate challenges to policy – will not go unnoticed by audiences. In “The Report,” when confronted with wrongdoing, the various government agencies – particularly the CIA – reflexively circle the wagons and deny all in a systematic fashion from top to bottom.
For an excellent companion piece, viewers might consider reading James Talbot’s ‘The Devil’s Chessboard,’ published in 2015, which probes the many – at best – questionable practices the CIA engaged in over the past few decades – methods pioneered by director Allen Dulles and his cronies from the agency’s inception. An excerpt from Talbot’s excellent book provides searing insight:Under Dulles, America’s intelligence system had become a dark and invasive force – at home and abroad – violating citizens’ privacy, kidnapping, torturing, and killing at will. His legacy would be carried forward far into the future by men and women who shared his philosophy about the boundless authority of the national security system’s “splendid watchmen.”
As the closing credits roll, portions appear redacted, a not-so-subtle swipe at overzealous government officials more interested in protecting their own careers and reputations than providing the public with transparency and accountability. Written and directed by Scott Z. Burns, “The Report” does not contain the dramatic punch or mindless escapism many audiences crave in the age of incessant tweets fueled by short attention spans. Nonetheless, this fine film conveys a complicated story with superb confidence and clarity throughout its two-hour runtime.
In Theaters Friday, November 15th
