Shattered Glass Review

"SHATTERED GLASS" reviews

Movie

SHATTERED GLASS

Author

anonymous

Date reviewed

2005-10-25 21:43:20

Provider

Review

People seem to have an almost in-built distrust of newspaper reporters, and men such as Stephen Glass certainly don't help to dispel their bad reputation.

A scandal broke recently at The New York Times in which it was discovered that a writer named Jayson Blair had been less than reliable with the facts when penning his stories. Well he certainly wasn't the first (and won't the last either) but even his fall from grace wasn't as high profile as Glass.

Glass (played here by Darth Vader-in-waiting Hayden Christensen) worked as a reporter for the US magazine New Republic (described as "the in-flight magazine of Air Force One") in the mid-'90s and he seemed to have the world at his feet. His stories were always well received and he was praised for his work. But what his colleagues didn't know was that Stephen had been making most of them up. It turned out that 27 of the 41 stories he had printed in the prestigious publication included lies or were totally fabricated and this gripping movie from director Billy Ray charts his fall.

One point we can take from Shattered Glass is that Hayden Christensen is evidently a far better actor than George Lucas allows him to be. He's excellent as Glass as he tries to wriggle and squirm his way out of the hole he's dug for himself with lies, more lies and a few whoppers thrown in for good measure.

Mind you, it's not just Christensen who gives a good turn. Co-stars Peter Sarsgaard, Rosario Dawson, Steve Zahn (in a rare straight role) and Chloe Sevigny also impress.

Recent comparisons with All The President's Men may be a bit premature though - it's unlikely this will stand the test of time the way Alan J. Pakula's film has - but that shouldn't detract from what is an enthralling and entertaining movie.