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Movies / On DVD / Nothing But the Truth
Nothing But the Truth

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Nothing But the Truth (2008)

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Reviews Counted:49

Fresh:39

Rotten:10

Average Rating:6.8/10

Consensus: A well-crafted political thriller, Nothing But the Truth features a strong cast that helps the real-life drama make an effortless transition to the big screen.

Runtime: 1 hr 48 mins

Genre: Dramas

Synopsis: Inspired by real-life political events, director Rod Lurie (THE CONTENDER) once again delves into issues of power and gender with NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH, an engaging thriller about the right to a... Inspired by real-life political events, director Rod Lurie (THE CONTENDER) once again delves into issues of power and gender with NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH, an engaging thriller about the right to a free press and the price of principles. As the film opens, the president of the United States has survived an assassination attempt. Believing that the leader of Venezuela was behind the plot, the U.S. launches a military attack against the country. In Washington, D.C., reporter Rachel Armstrong (Kate Beckinsale) has revealed that Erica Van Doren (Vera Farmiga), the wife of the U.S. Ambassador to Venezuela, is a C.I.A. operative who found no proof of a plot. Armstrong quickly finds herself contending with both Van Doren and special prosecutor Patton DuBois (Matt Dillon), hellbent on discovering Armstrong's source. When she refuses to reveal her source, Armstrong is jailed for contempt of court. In the troubled year that follows both women will confront the harsh realities of life during wartime, including the questioning of their patriotism and even threats to their lives. As a Supreme Court hearing draws near, and with her family cracking under the strain, Armstrong must decide whether her individual needs trump the importance of civil liberties. Lurie ably balances the personal struggles with the political machinations, while Beckinsale and Farmiga compellingly convey each woman's strength of conviction. The result is a challenging, chillingly relevant cautionary tale about truth and consequences. [More]

Starring: Kate Beckinsale, Matt Dillon, Angela Bassett, Alan Alda

Starring: Kate Beckinsale, Matt Dillon, Angela Bassett, Alan Alda, Vera Farmiga, David Schwimmer, Courtney B. Vance, Noah Wyle, Floyd Abrams, Preston Bailey

Director: Rod Lurie

Director: Rod Lurie
Screenwriter: Rod Lurie
Producer: Bob Yari, Marc Frydman, Rod Lurie
Composer: Larry Groupe
Studio: Yari Film Group

[See More Credits]

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Reviews for Nothing But the Truth

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1 - 20 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 3 >> >|
Arrange By:Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
 
 

With her bravura turn in Rod Lurie's engrossing political drama Nothing But The Truth, Kate Beckinsale has staked a strong claim for her first Academy Award nomination.

Full Review Source: This is London | comment Comment
09/10/08
Tom Teodorczuk
Tom Teodorczuk
This is London

A miscalculated piece damaged by poor direction, mediocre writing and performances that feel consistently misguided and off-key.

Full Review Source: Screen International | comment Comment
09/09/08
Patrick Z. McGavin
Patrick Z. McGavin
Screen International

Should find favor with audiences eager for movies driven by characterization, ideas and the performances of actors whose screen presence offers as much justification for the existence of cinema as any camera trick, flashy montage or special effect.

Full Review Source: Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN) | comment Comment
05/07/09
John Beifuss
John Beifuss
Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN)

It's hard to put a finger on anything actually wrong with this earnest drama of politics, conscience, and democratic ideals... but it's equally difficult to embrace it enthusiastically, too.

Full Review Source: Flick Filosopher | comment Comment
05/05/09
MaryAnn Johanson
MaryAnn Johanson
Flick Filosopher

Alda's performance is a real stand-out, but all the actors are in fine form, to include Angela Basset, Noah Wyle and David Schwimmer.

Full Review Source: Deseret News, Salt Lake City | comment Comment
05/05/09
Chris Hicks
Chris Hicks
Deseret News, Salt Lake City

A finely-crafted film of people and ideas, of the sort more common before the movie mainstream became a sausage factory.

Full Review Source: Chicago Sun-Times | comment Comment
05/01/09
Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert
Chicago Sun-Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Every once in a while, for reasons as random as a Hollywood executive's taste or an economic meltdown, a perfectly decent movie slips through the cracks, never receives a theatrical release and is relegated to the purgatory called straight-to-DVD.

Full Review Source: Washington Post | comment Comment
04/28/09
Ann Hornaday
Ann Hornaday
Washington Post

Most moviegoers know Kate Beckinsale as that gorgeous babe in the skin tight leather pants in Underworld, but you will find a solid leading actress who leads a talented cast in Nothing But The Truth.

Full Review Source: WaffleMovies.com | comment Comment
04/27/09
Willie Waffle
Willie Waffle
WaffleMovies.com

should bring a deserved burnishing to auteur Lurie's regard in the creative community

Full Review Source: Filmcritic.com | comment Comment
03/16/09
Jules Brenner
Jules Brenner
Filmcritic.com

Writer-director Lurie makes dramas that whole-headedly engage ethical quandaries yet dodge easy judgments.

Full Review Source: Denver Post | comment Comment
02/06/09
Lisa Kennedy
Lisa Kennedy
Denver Post

In this engrossing political thriller, Kate Beckinsale's focused and sympathetic as the reporter who goes to jail to protect her source, and Vera Farmiga shines in the volatile supporting role of a government operative who loses her family because of her

Full Review Source: Us Weekly | comment Comment
02/01/09
Thelma Adams
Thelma Adams
Us Weekly

Sporadically provocative and slightly contrived.

Full Review Source: NYC Movie Guru | comment Comment
01/31/09
Avi Offer
Avi Offer
NYC Movie Guru

It's worth seeking out, standing as Lurie's best film work to date and a gentle reminder that Farmiga and Beckinsale are two talented, tough actresses in it for the long haul.

Full Review Source: Paste Magazine | comment Comment
01/09/09
Jeremy Medina
Jeremy Medina
Paste Magazine

Lurie balances the tragic repercussions of two women drawn into a swirling riptide of political neglect, judicial irresponsibility, and sudden violence.

Full Review Source: ColeSmithey.com | comment Comment
01/01/09
Cole Smithey
Cole Smithey
ColeSmithey.com

Kate Beckinsale and Vera Farmiga's terrific work is easily the best reason to watch.

Full Review Source: TheMovieReport.com | comment Comment
01/01/09
Michael Dequina
Michael Dequina
TheMovieReport.com

The film pitches into old-school melodrama -- women in chains and all kinds of chaos, courtesy of men. But the film takes a next step too, aligning Erica and Rachel’s experiences in order to indict the old boys’ system.

Full Review Source: PopMatters | comment Comment
12/30/08
Cynthia Fuchs
Cynthia Fuchs
PopMatters

Thoughtful and incendiary, stressing the ever-increasing threats to civil liberties in the name of national security.

Full Review Source: SSG Syndicate | comment 2 Comments
12/24/08
Susan Granger
Susan Granger
SSG Syndicate

It is a rock-solid entertainment, made by adults, starring adults, and intended for adults

Full Review Source: Film Threat | comment Comment
12/24/08
Scott Mendelson
Scott Mendelson
Film Threat

It’s Kate Beckinsale who is fantastic and she is able to hold the strong premise long enough to keep my interest in a politically-charged thriller.

Full Review Source: At the Movies | comment Comment
12/22/08
Ben Lyons
Ben Lyons
At the Movies

I thought the performances were great, particularly Vera Farmiga.

Full Review Source: At the Movies | comment Comment
12/22/08
Ben Mankiewicz
Ben Mankiewicz
At the Movies
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
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all

Latest News for Nothing But the Truth

May 01, 2009: Rod Lurie Tells Nothing But the Truth Opens in new window
With two movies headed to theaters last fall, it looked like 2008 was going to be a banner year for Rod Lurie -- but everything can change in the blink of a studio bankruptcy,... More...

January 08, 2009: Broadcast Film Critics Name Critics' Choice Winners
The 14th Annual Critics' Choice Awards were given on January 8, 2009, to honor the finest achievements in 2008 filmmaking. A list of nominees follows below, with winners in bold: More...

December 19, 2008: Five Favorite Films with Director Rod Lurie
Nothing But the Truth director Rod Lurie (The Contender) took a circuitous route to Hollywood -- he was an army officer and an entertainment reporter before perching himself in... More...

December 09, 2008: Trailer & Poster review Opens in new window
More...

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