Dark Waters
3.5/4
Starring: Mark Ruffalo, Tim Robbins, Anne Hathaway, Bill Camp
Rated PG-13 for Thematic Content, Some Disturbing Images, and Strong Language
When the end credits for "Dark Waters" rolled, I was left disturbed and unsettled. Not so much from the horrors of what Dupont did (it's the kind of thing we expect from negligent corporations, and, perhaps cognizant of this, Haynes doesn't linger on this material), but from the fact that they were so brazen that they knew about it, covered it up, and lied to everyone's face about it. And they also used legal wrangling to keep using it. That they could have used some of that time and money protecting themselves to come up with a safer substitute speaks to their arrogance and greed. That's what I found truly shocking.
Robert Bilott (Ruffalo) has just been made partner at a law firm specializing in corporate defense. One of their clients is chemical manufacturer DuPont, which is why he finds it shocking that a man he doesn't know demands to see him. His name is Wilbur Tennant (Camp) and he brings a box of video tapes claiming that someone is polluting his home. Robert points out that he is not the right man for the job, but humors him and goes to hear him out. What he discovers shocks him to his very core and leads to a 20 year odyssey for justice.
This is Mark Ruffalo's movie. He's present in every scene, and our anchor into this disturbing story. Ruffalo is always an interesting performer and has never disappointed, and that doesn't change here. He's devoted and an incredibly hard worker, but he always operates within his capabilities. Lots of movies center around lawyers, showing the good, the bad, and the ugly of the profession. "Dark Waters" does both. In one hand, Robert and (eventually) his firm use the law to advocate and get justice for a lot of people who were deceived and paid a heavy price for it. In the other, there is DuPont's legal team, which uses the law to delay and wear down Robert and the people they victimized. Able support is provided by veteran actors Tim Robbins and Anne Hathaway. Robbins disappears into a character role, but Hathaway's star power makes it difficult for her. She doesn't have a lot to do in this movie, which makes me wonder why she signed on. Special mention has to go to Bill Camp, a character actor getting his first real chance at a starring role playing Wilbur. It's a great, tragic performance.
The film's plot doesn't break any new ground, but it's how director Todd Haynes allows it to unfold that makes it compelling. He gives considerable depth to the legal profession and how Bilot fights for the people he represents. This is an uncommonly intelligent thriller in that regard, and it demands that the viewer pay attention. What's rather astonishing is just how much hard work is involved in this case. There is so much paperwork to go through, so many questions that need to be answered, so many procedures that need to be followed. Finding out the truth is one thing. Proving it in a court of law is quite another. Haynes and especially Ruffalo make that palpable.
What's scary about this movie is just how much power DuPont has, and how it took advantage of legal weaknesses to continue to make people very sick. Haynes illustrates the dangers of corporate corruption and deregulation. A lot of pain and suffering could have been avoided if DuPont hadn't been able to "regulate" itself. Haynes doesn't highlight this, but he makes it impossible to ignore.
The first half of the film is the strongest. The turning point of the film is when Robert explains to his wife the entire story of DuPont's misbehavior, and it's not an especially well-written scene. The film maintains dramatic tension, but Haynes tries to do too much. He covers ten years of legal battles, expands on the victims's stories, and devotes time to Robert's personal life. It's too much for the director to handle. He should have narrowed the film's focus or engaged in some creative fudging to make the film more dramatically solid.
"Dark Waters" is disturbing. It gets under your skin, and that's probably the highest compliment I can give it. While it falters in some areas, it manages to be many things: a legal thriller, a cautionary tale, and a true life story at the same time. Watching it isn't always the most pleasant experience, but it's riveting and deserves to be seen.
Starring: Mark Ruffalo, Tim Robbins, Anne Hathaway, Bill Camp
Rated PG-13 for Thematic Content, Some Disturbing Images, and Strong Language
When the end credits for "Dark Waters" rolled, I was left disturbed and unsettled. Not so much from the horrors of what Dupont did (it's the kind of thing we expect from negligent corporations, and, perhaps cognizant of this, Haynes doesn't linger on this material), but from the fact that they were so brazen that they knew about it, covered it up, and lied to everyone's face about it. And they also used legal wrangling to keep using it. That they could have used some of that time and money protecting themselves to come up with a safer substitute speaks to their arrogance and greed. That's what I found truly shocking.
Robert Bilott (Ruffalo) has just been made partner at a law firm specializing in corporate defense. One of their clients is chemical manufacturer DuPont, which is why he finds it shocking that a man he doesn't know demands to see him. His name is Wilbur Tennant (Camp) and he brings a box of video tapes claiming that someone is polluting his home. Robert points out that he is not the right man for the job, but humors him and goes to hear him out. What he discovers shocks him to his very core and leads to a 20 year odyssey for justice.
This is Mark Ruffalo's movie. He's present in every scene, and our anchor into this disturbing story. Ruffalo is always an interesting performer and has never disappointed, and that doesn't change here. He's devoted and an incredibly hard worker, but he always operates within his capabilities. Lots of movies center around lawyers, showing the good, the bad, and the ugly of the profession. "Dark Waters" does both. In one hand, Robert and (eventually) his firm use the law to advocate and get justice for a lot of people who were deceived and paid a heavy price for it. In the other, there is DuPont's legal team, which uses the law to delay and wear down Robert and the people they victimized. Able support is provided by veteran actors Tim Robbins and Anne Hathaway. Robbins disappears into a character role, but Hathaway's star power makes it difficult for her. She doesn't have a lot to do in this movie, which makes me wonder why she signed on. Special mention has to go to Bill Camp, a character actor getting his first real chance at a starring role playing Wilbur. It's a great, tragic performance.
The film's plot doesn't break any new ground, but it's how director Todd Haynes allows it to unfold that makes it compelling. He gives considerable depth to the legal profession and how Bilot fights for the people he represents. This is an uncommonly intelligent thriller in that regard, and it demands that the viewer pay attention. What's rather astonishing is just how much hard work is involved in this case. There is so much paperwork to go through, so many questions that need to be answered, so many procedures that need to be followed. Finding out the truth is one thing. Proving it in a court of law is quite another. Haynes and especially Ruffalo make that palpable.
What's scary about this movie is just how much power DuPont has, and how it took advantage of legal weaknesses to continue to make people very sick. Haynes illustrates the dangers of corporate corruption and deregulation. A lot of pain and suffering could have been avoided if DuPont hadn't been able to "regulate" itself. Haynes doesn't highlight this, but he makes it impossible to ignore.
The first half of the film is the strongest. The turning point of the film is when Robert explains to his wife the entire story of DuPont's misbehavior, and it's not an especially well-written scene. The film maintains dramatic tension, but Haynes tries to do too much. He covers ten years of legal battles, expands on the victims's stories, and devotes time to Robert's personal life. It's too much for the director to handle. He should have narrowed the film's focus or engaged in some creative fudging to make the film more dramatically solid.
"Dark Waters" is disturbing. It gets under your skin, and that's probably the highest compliment I can give it. While it falters in some areas, it manages to be many things: a legal thriller, a cautionary tale, and a true life story at the same time. Watching it isn't always the most pleasant experience, but it's riveting and deserves to be seen.
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