Matt’s Review: ‘Fair Game’ is Dramatic Dynamite

GRADE: A-

Remember way back when I posted an article about an upcoming movie called Fair Game? I was really excited to see the film as it stars the dynamic duo of Sean Penn and the gorgeous Naomi Watts. Well, the movie came out last weekend. Sad to say, it didn’t even crack the top ten at the box office (I didn’t expect it to) and hasn’t got any notice in movie-going circles. I had a chance to see Fair Game last week (the review comes now because school is my arch enemy) and it was the best film to hit theaters last weekend in my humble opinion. Yes, it was better than the entertaining Megamind and the deplorable Due Date. Sadly, hardly any theaters are showing Fair Game leaving people without the opportunity to get out and see it. So, I guess you could consider this a future recommendation for a Netflix rental.

If you are a person who loves government conspiracy or drama, Fair Game is one you will not want to miss. The story is based on true events surrounding the life of Valerie Plame and her husband Joe Wilson. Valerie is swept up in a firestorm of controversy surrounding the decision to invade Iraq in 2003. Her name is declassified by the government (a big no-no that exposes her status as a CIA agent to the world) and blame is placed on her for some of the botched intel regarding weapons of mass destruction. It is safe to assume this story is ripe with drama.

From that synopsis I just rifled off it may seem like Fair Game would be difficult to follow. When the movie started I was trying to piece together everything that was said and trying not to miss any important details. As the film progressed I realized the details within the offices of the CIA and what was leading up to the Iraq War wasn’t the driving piece of the narrative. The element in the story that draws in the audience even more than all the government details and drama is the fight Valerie Plame and her husband have to muster in order to stand up for themselves. The couple is outed by society as Valerie is called a traitor to the country after she loses her job at the CIA. Her husband Joe Wilson was an American Ambassador, but now is a writer, and has his name dragged through the mud by the media. The government uses every avenue to destroy the credibility of the couple and cover up any wrong doing for the “CIA leaking” Valerie’s name to the public.

The battle the couple has to undertake is against the most powerful governmental institution in the history of this world. Winning the confrontation is no easy feat, and Naomi Watts and Sean Penn personify this superbly in their characters’ emotions. The two not only have to battle the outside world, but have conflicts with each other stemming from all the negativity that is brought down on them. Their chemistry as a couple is picture perfect in the scenes where they lovingly embrace and the scenes when they are screaming at each other in frustration. Both radiate an aura of intelligence as their characters carry out conversations. It is apparent the characters are well educated from the dialogue and the way the actors carry themselves. I smell an Oscar nomination for Sean Penn and maybe even Naomi Watts.

The only problem I had with Fair Game was the directing by Doug Liman (Bourne Identity, Swingers). Liman acted as his own cinematographer and his effort was dreadful. He was consistent with his aesthetic choice of directing throughout the movie, but his choice was ridiculous. He used shaky camera shots in every single scene and I hated it. Often times this tactic is used to mimic reality so it feels like the audience is looking from the human eye which is not perfectly still.

This kind of directorial decision works for an action movie like Bourne Identity, full of energetic sequences and tense scenes. But for a drama like Fair Game that is 95% dialogue spilling out in government offices, home settings, and parks, it feels unnatural. When people are just sitting around and talking, camera movement is extra noticeable. The camera work was not only full of movement, but it was sloppy with pans across sets and characters. The camera movement is so prevalent it becomes a distraction almost inducing motion sickness like the hand-held amateur cinematography in The Blair Witch Project. This aesthetic choice obviously upset me quite a bit, even enough to hurt this film’s grade.

Overall, Fair Game was a tense drama full of turmoil for a couple trying to fight against the government that brought the conflict down on them. Sean Penn and Naomi Watts both flourish the entire picture, especially in the times of crisis. You don’t have to understand government proceedings or be up to date with politics to understand Fair Game; the film is simply about the struggle the couple has to clear their name. The big thing that hurt this project was Doug Liman; seriously, get a TRIPOD dude! Steady shots are a must in a dialogue-fest! Wake up!

What Should You Do? As I stated earlier, this movie is not in many theaters. Once Fair Game hits the DVD shelves, remember this article and me recommending you check this film out.