Movies…with a little bit of obscure culture and sports mixed in
“A former American intelligence specialist was given the longest sentence for the unauthorized release of government information to the media about Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections via […]
“A former American intelligence specialist was given the longest sentence for the unauthorized release of government information to the media about Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections via an email operation.”
Director: Tina Satter
Writer: Tina Satter, James Paul Dallas
Staring: Sydney Sweeney, Josh Hamilton, Marchánt Davis
Release Date: March 29, 2023
IMDB
Hello Sydney Sweeney. It is nice to finally meet you after hearing so much about you.
The star of HBO’s The White Lotus and Euphoria has risen up the ranks in popularity since 2020 and now she is a household name amongst a particular crowd. Personally, I am not one who has seen either one of those shows because I am terrible at keeping up with television, but I am good at keeping up with movies that not many people have seen.
Now let’s talk about Reality (2023).
Adapted from a stage play first put on in 2019, the story centers around the arrest of young Air Force linguist and NSA contractor Reality Winner (Sydney Sweeney) and her leaking of classified information pertaining to the 2016 United States Presidential election. Reality is frustrated with the lack of transparency from the government, so she took it into her own hands to educate the public on how Russia pulled certain strings.
Reality the movie is directed and written by Tina Satter, who also conceived and directed the play everything is based upon, Is This A Room. The play transpires over 65 minutes and takes the FBI integration transcript verbatim and brings it to life. Satter evolves her work on the stage for the Silver Screen with an 83-minute drama that keeps the tension high and focuses its spotlight on the performances.
Sidney Sweeney as the lead is gripping with her quietness. You know how when as a parent the house is too quiet and you know that something has gone wrong? That same ethos is in Reality. Once FBI agents Garrick (Josh Hamilton) and Taylor (Marchánt Davis) show up at the door, there is a standoff in the stillness. Neither Reality, nor the agents, want to give the emotional edge of cracking first. It is a battle of will and patience.
There is tension in Reality. Tension in the calmness and the silence. It isn’t like a horror movie where the music crescendos and things jump out from the darkness. As I am writing this, I am watching Barbarian (2022) and there is a dark staircase leading to nowhere and someone is about to jump up it. I have no doubt.
But anyways.
In Reality there is literally zero soundtrack. The only audio in the movie that isn’t talking is from on-scene sources like a television, or radio. Reality has multiple levels of naturalism to it. It first happened in real life. Then actors acted it out for a life audience with real-life dialogue from a transcript…
YUP. THERE IS KEITH! YUP, KEITH IS DEAD! (I am talking about Barbarian now), in case you didn’t get that.
And now Reality has been made into a movie, but it is keeping its bones while in a medium for larger masses.
The choice to have no music focuses you on the words being said, or frankly, the words that aren’t being said. Reality and agent Garrick are in a verbal war, and it’s siege warfare that Reality is defending against. She has agents coming into her house, rummaging through her things, and asking to talk to her about incredibly important things…like world security matters.
Reality is made without much makeup. Its foundation is true to itself, and what you see is what you get. There is a connection here one could make that Sidney Sweeney is her most naked in this movie. Maybe not in the literal sense, but Sweeney is not wearing any makeup in Reality. She bulked up for the role and is not conventionally pretty. Now don’t get me wrong, She is still gorgeous, but it is a different path for Sweeney compared to the more recent projects she is in.
Reality was put into development in 2022 and started filming in May 2022. Over 16 days it was filmed in consequential order, which had to help the actors to flush everything out and understand their characters.
And in terms of the relevance, you can’t get much more relevant than the story of Reality. Around the time this movie was released, the Jack Teixeira leaked Discord controversy came out. You remember the Massachusetts Air National Guard member who leaked documents over social media and created an international firestorm?
It isn’t your normal form of advertising or public relations, but you can’t ask for much better natural integration.
In terms of truism, naturalism, and storytelling, Reality makes itself an incredibly unique viewing experience. The transcript of a real life criminal brought to life this way is riveting. If you didn’t know the story was based on a play, you could easily understand. Massive credit to Tina Satter, Sidney Sweeney, and Josh Hamilton for artistic efforts that make this Reality a hearty recommendation.
Random bit of trivia I learned is that I saw one of Sweeney’s first movies. Ever heard of The Ward (2010)? A psychothriller starring Amber Heard? No? Don’t blame you. I gave The Ward a D+ and two stars, and the only thing I remembered about it was the poster because it reminded me of that one scene from The Evil Dead (1981).
STANKO RATING: B+
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