The Top Ten Films of 2015: #10

#10:


Writer-director James Vanderbilt’s “Truth” takes us back to the muckraking journalistic thrillers of bygone years. Here’s a consummate entertainment for audiences of all political persuasions. Without attempting physical verisimilitude, Robert Redford slowly and surely becomes Dan Rather. But the movie belongs to Cate Blanchett – with Meryl and Julianne, one of the holy trinity of modern actresses – as “60 Minutes” producer Mary Mapes, CBS’ second scapegoat for a controversial report on W’s military service record that the network rushed onto air. (It happened to be true both in fact and in context.) The catatonic look in Blanchett's eyes as she lies in bed realizing her fate is one I’ll not soon forget. But there are moments of great humor, as when a liquored-up Rather phones Mapes after the shit’s hit the fan: “This is Dan plus three,” to which she replies, “I’m working on a Tanqueray and Xanax cocktail.”