Veronica Guerin

A boring, calculated movie that turns an amazingly powerful life story about a stubborn journalist into a “Hollywood-style" pleasant biographical movie where everything is white (everything around Veronica), black (the Irish underworld and villains) or simply blackmailing on gut level (kids playing amongst syringes, oh, isn’t that awful, vicar). In terms of workmanship solid, but what good is that if the only real asset is, unsurprisingly, the Cate Blanchett and Ciarán Hinds duo. And they give more like their regular acting performances, rather than excelling especially. I would like to see the same story, preferably with the same cast, in an HBO production. (04.11.2008)

On Cate Blanchett’s part, Veronica Guerin is a superbly acted one-woman show which, however, leaves a somewhat flat overall impression, though the last ten minutes don’t leave a dry eye in the house. That the screenplay tried to remain as complex and faithful to the actual events as possible is fine, but in order for this to work as a truly compelling film, it needed to settle more comfortably into the personal lives of the protagonist and the two main bad guys (instead of familiarizing the audience with the other five insignificant ones). From Veronica’s investigation, which doesn’t come to any point (so it is not as important as in sophisticated fictional thrillers), only what is essential for the build-up of a film should have been used. After all, a film is constructed according to different rules than television journalism. Joel Schumacher made Veronica’s story into an honest, cold deposition. Ron Howard would have made it into a fine Hollywood tear-jerker. I would have preferred something in between. (12.02.2006)

Whatever anyone says, I consider this a good film based on a true story. In the gripping film set in the drug environment, Cate Blanchett convincingly portrayed a journalist who ultimately paid with her own life in the fight for a better future for her loved ones and the entire nation. If her sacrifice prompted the kind of changes mentioned in the closing credits, it was not in vain. Amen to the memory of the courageous Veronica Guerin. (75%) (07.04.2021)

Jerry Bruckheimer, the grand producer of grand films with grand budgets, has ventured into the waters of a civilian film. Veronica Guerin's life, which I know nothing about, was certainly more eventful than what the creators presented in the film. Director Joel Schumacher cannot be criticized for achieving at least a minimal runtime by including unnecessary (the scene with the Irish pub featuring Colin Farrell), gratuitous (the emotionally charged walk among drugged children), and unnecessarily prolonged (the entire ending is presented in slow motion) scenes. Schumacher unwittingly undermines the film right from the start by placing the ending, which should have been at least five seconds longer, in the opening scene. Cate Blanchett's performance in the lead role leaves a tired impression and reduces the level of engagement to almost zero. It’s sufficient as a documentary, but below average as a film drama about human determination. PS: The film features another stunning musical composition by Harry Gregson-Williams. (10.06.2005)