| Rated PG-13 - for language, sexual references and brief drug use | Release Date: November 21, 2003 | |
| Reviewed by: Jim | ||
| Review Date: October 31, 2003 | Released by: Lions Gate Films |
The title Shattered Glass isn't the best one for Billy Ray's compelling biopic of Stephen Glass. It kind of describes what is "a little brother" to All The President's Men.The film, written by Ray, has a topical feel given what happened with Jayson Blair's faux journalism for the New York Times. From a Vanity Fair article, the story of Stephen Glass (Hayden Christensen) who wrote for The New Republic, "the in-flight magazine of Air Force One," fabricated much of what was published. It is intelligent and riveting once Peter Sarsgaard's editor, Chuck Lane, starts uncovering Glass' sources.
Ray adroitly displays how the avid, young reporter was charismatic and manipulated his way like the writer played by Chloe Sevigny of Boys Don't Cry and American Psycho. Hank Azaria has an important part as editor Michael Kelly who perished in real life just months ago, checked into one of Glass' stories about young Republicans in a "mini-bar." It's Sarsgaard's solemnly earnest portrayal of an outcast who meets this obsequious, morally devious young man that makes Christensen's subtle work.
Maybe Shattered Glass doesn't uncover all the whys into such a methodical, unexpected descent using a device of having Glass speaking at his old high school that cuts between parts of the story. But, Ray and Christensen hone in with a deft omniscience through a story on hackers that helps this investigative drama become far more illuminating than it first seems.
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| Shattered Glass |
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