Telling the main story in flashbacks has failed consistently in its effectiveness in contemporary films. We have seen this in the weaknesses of The Social Network and The Iron Lady and in most biopics. These movies have won awards from antiquated institutions by using stale stylistic flourishes, ways of making that have worked in the past. This results in an artificial and over-used feeling, with echoes of the Hollywood manufacturing machine.
However, The Fifth Estate sets a tone with this technique – and succeeds in two ways. First they use it carefully, and with reason.
Secondly, they start us off with an ending which we are not meant to fully comprehend… yet.
They don’t just use a flashback for lack of a better technique; they use the flashback, a distortion in time – to distort the viewer, to keep us off guard, while they begin at the beginning.
It seems almost to be homage to spy films – which is thematic because WikiLeaks (the subject of this story) is anti-conspiracy, anti-secrets, anti-spy. The purist anarchist.
And then the story begins to build context and character. We see personalities that are complex and intriguing. Nick Davies (David Thewlis) of The Guardian – an English guy with passion and intellect. And Daniel Berg/Schmitt (Daniel Brühl) – the cool, bearded programmer who is stuck in an office job which he is overqualified for. Breezing through life without challenges.
Until he meets, at a technology convention, a guy who he has been communicating with via chatroom, a Julian Assange.
Benedict Cumberbatch transforms himself into an abrasive twerp, yet seen under a different lens, a friendly, altruistic techno-genius. And the creator of WikiLeaks. The mad prophet is also a selfish asshole.
A stew pot of friendship brims with conflict for our quirky, stubborn, activist company founder, Julian and Daniel, the young voice of reason – with his incredibly supportive girlfriend – Anke (Alicia Vikander.)
The pieces are set in place, and then the play begins between our heroes, and the ancient newspapers that refuse to die. And between our heroes and the government. The woman, Sarah Shaw (Laura Linney) who (playing the role calmly and without any real commitment) fights for the government’s protection and the safety of her spies.
Anthony Mackie and Stanley Tucci round out the government bit players debating for the crushing of democracy with one swift boot heel.
The tragedy of the story is not the relationships and inevitable breakup of the key players at WikiLeaks. The real tragedy is the fact that through all the ground-breaking leaks that are supposed to change the world, our lives continue as if nothing happened. Jon Stewart repeated these words recently.
The world continues to turn, as corrupt and unjust as it was before. That transparency solves not the problem of gigantic institutions with power, such as governments and corporations.
The question is raised of the nobility and justification of the revolution and those with unswerving faith. But these are America’s fears.
The film digs into some interesting topics and forces us to think, but never breaks beyond thoughtful.
3.5 stars
the joy of eating and the folly of thinking 