Review 528: Official Secrets

Dull title notwithstanding, Official Secrets is an insightful and intriguing docudrama thats glides on the strength of a compeling true story and performance from Keira Knightly.

Based on the book The Spy Who Tried to Stop a War by Marcia & Thomas Mitchell, In 2003, GCHQ employee Katherine Gunn (Keira Knightly) leaks a secret memo exposing an illegal U.S. spying operation, looking for information with which to gauge sentiment of and potentially blackmail United Nations diplomats tasked to vote on a resolution regarding the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

The plot is

Director Gavin Hood’s direction is assured and taut, the cinematography is  the score by Paul Hepker and Mark Kilian is eerie and suspenseful, the production design (creating 2003) is terrific, the costumes are, it’s well paced and

Keira Knightly delivers an emotionally stirring  playing Katherine Gunn. Gunn took a great risk leaking government info to the press and then coming under police investigation and getting charged
The prospect of having to keep what she did a secret took its toll on her and she had to confess to what she did and ultimately face the music.

Adam Bakri  playing Katherine's husband, Yasar

Matt Smith is also excellent in this film playing journalist Martin Bright.

Ralph Fiennes (as always) delivers a superb performance playing barrister Ben Emmerson. He's the guy Gunn turns in her desperate times and is fully committed to the case and proving she did the right things. He understands why she's done what she's done and is willing to defend her.

Conleth Hill has a very meaty bit part in this film playing Observer Editor Roger Alton.

Rhys Ifans, Indira Varma, Tamsin Greig, Myanna Buring and Matthew Goode round out the films eclectic cast with