The most direct definition of the term “whistleblower” is someone who comes forward and releases specific information about wrongdoing in a company or organization. There are usually good reasons for doing this, and it might make things better or at least fairer, but it does put the whistleblower himself at risk. But the information whistleblowers are releasing usually has a reason for it. Please keep it a secret.
There are many movies that feature different examples of whistleblowing., some are retellings of true stories of whistleblowers and others are inspired by real events. Additionally, various documentaries on whistleblowing practices are also worth noting. The titles below are some of the best that focus, in whole or in part, on whistleblowing and unraveling corruption, and are ranked below from best to best.
Ten “The Post” (2017)
Director: Steven Spielberg
One of the many historical films by the director steven spielberg, post The suspense inherent in the premise and the intrigue of experiencing well-known events from a fresh perspective make it a thriller of sorts.of The story focuses on the people who worked at the Washington Post in the early 1970s and the role they played in exposing the Pentagon Papers..
Such documents revealed certain truths about the U.S. government’s involvement in the then-ongoing Vietnam War, and those revelations contributed to the continuing unfavorable view of the conflict by the American public. This is the cause. As a movie, post Although it may be criticized as a bit dry, it deals with the revelation of high-profile classified documents in a solid, technically well-written manner, and is a must-read for anyone interested in 20th century American history. It’s worth a look.
post
- release date
- January 19, 2017
- director
- steven spielberg
- runtime
- 108
- Main genre
- Drama
Watch on DirecTV
9 “Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room” (2005)
Director: Alex Gibney
One of many fascinating documentaries by the director alex gibney, Enron: The smartest people in the room This documentary is about the energy company known as Enron Corporation, which infamously went bankrupt in 2001. This documentary covers how the company collapsed due to widespread corruption and fraud, and the aftermath of what became known as the Enron scandal.
This may be about a company that no longer exists, but Enron: The smartest people in the room still Feels relevant because it highlights various flaws within powerful companies And people with power and money often commit misdeeds that they think they can get away with. Of course, Enron’s collapse happened in part because of whistleblowing, showing how even one person willing to speak out can contribute to the collapse of a huge corporation.
Watch on Hulu
8 “Reality” (2023)
Director: Tina Sutter
It’s a well-written biopic that also depicts a relatively recent example of whistleblowing. reality It’s about a former NSA interpreter named. reality winner. She is known for leaking her confidential information to the press in 2017. This information is an intelligence report on Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election..
Much of the film concerns the day Reality Winner was arrested, and much of the dialogue is taken from Winner’s FBI interrogation transcript. reality This is a very simple but definitely interesting film that makes the case that whistleblowers are still important in many ways, given the information that is often withheld from the public. While older whistleblowing films naturally took place in the pre-Internet era, this newer film shows that the practice of whistleblowing is still alive and necessary, and that even with online information, it’s difficult to reach the public at large. It indicates that there are certain secrets that are not made public.
reality
- release date
- May 29, 2023
- director
- Tina Sutter
- runtime
- 83 minutes
- Main genre
- Drama
View on Max
7 “Citizen Four” (2014)
Director: Laura Poitras
In conjunction with the above, Enron: The smartest people in the room, citizen four is also a documentary about whistleblowing, and it’s worth mentioning and rivals any non-documentary in terms of telling a compelling story.it is edward snowdenperhaps the most famous whistleblower of the 21st century so far, is still at large since leaking classified NSA information in 2013.
Mr. Snowden sought asylum in Russia and has been there for the past 10 years, and Citizenfour has learned how he leaked the information and how he managed to flee the United States after the leak. It provides a fascinating and detailed study. This is one of the most thrilling documentary films in recent memorya more fascinating look at the Snowden story and whistleblowing as a whole than the 2016 one. snowdenstarred in Joseph Gordon-Levitt in the title role.
View on Roku
6 “Silkwood” (1983)
Director: Mike Nichols
One of the many starring movies meryl streep and supervised mike nichols, silk wood was one of their best efforts as an actress-director duo, and another about a real-life whistleblower.I’m talking about a woman named Karen Silkwoodtells the story of how she exposes various safety violations and misconduct she observed while working at a plutonium factory, and how it put her at great risk.
silk wood is a surprisingly tense film, and certainly one of the darkest biopics of its time. The film was a moderate success and did quite well in terms of Oscar nominations, winning a total of five awards (including Best Actress for Streep and Best Director for Nichols). It’s not talked about much these days, but Still worth highlighting for being one of the better movies focusing on whistleblowerscertainly in its time, and perhaps even in history.
Buy on Amazon
Five “Blowout” (1981)
Director: Brian De Palma
brian de palma They are usually reliable when it comes to delivering great thrillers. blow out It just happened to be one of his best works. This premise is a somewhat novel approach compared to other films about whistleblowers, as the film revolves primarily around the protagonist’s uncovering of a conspiracy, unlike most thematically similar films. The movie itself is not based on actual events.
john travolta During the production of a movie, he plays a sound effects engineer who believes he has captured audio evidence of a presidential candidate’s assassination. He found someone who may have taken photographic evidence of the same event, but that person has given some of the photos to the media, putting everyone at risk. Keeping the suspense high throughout, It benefits from the always charming stylistic touches that De Palma brings to the film..
blow out
- release date
- July 24, 1981
- runtime
- 108 minutes
View on Roku
Four Serpico (1973)
Director: Sidney Lumet
Always a great performer al pacino In an early symbolic role, Serpico is about Frank Serpico, a New York City police officer who is fed up with corruption within the police force and decides to become a whistleblower. It begins with someone trying to kill Serpico, then flashbacks to show the various enemies he has made in an attempt to publicize his knowledge of corruption.
Serpico This is ultimately a movie that showcases the good that can come from someone blowing the whistle. Also be honest about the extreme risks that doing so may pose to individuals.. This is a painstaking film that could not have been made in any decade other than the 1970s, and a young Pacino gave it his all in the lead role, earning critical acclaim for his performance.
Serpico
- release date
- 1973-12-5
- cast
- Al Pacino, John Randolph, Biff McGuire
- runtime
- 130
Rent on Apple TV
3 “The President’s Men” (1976)
Director: Alan J. Pakula
With a gorgeous cast led by robert redford and dustin hoffman, all of the president’s subordinates It’s as iconic as any movie about surveillance and exposing corruption.The premise revolves around the Watergate scandal, and ultimately richard nixon The president has resigned, and the main characters are journalists who covered the unfolding events for the Washington Post.
It feels like a precursor to something like post However, the story here of discovering and exposing evidence of corruption is in many ways much more interesting. Perhaps the fact that you are so close to the events in question gives you a sense of realism, as if you were actually watching the events happen. It rather depends on how journalists reported this story. But a whistleblower complaint by someone operating under the pseudonym Deep Throat is essential for them to get the information in the first place..
Rent on Apple TV
2 “The Insider” (1999)
Director: Michael Mann
Another film about journalism that also involves whistleblowing and revealing previously unknown information. insider There may not be an action sequence that people associate with it. michael man, but it’s still one of his best movies. This is a story about a tobacco industry whistleblower and the information he reveals on a TV show segment. 60 minutesit caused a lot of controversy and debate.
insider is long at 158 minutes, but it’s always engaging and exciting, even for those who know the events behind the (mostly) true story told in this movie. Although Mann may downplay his unique style, He always keeps the pace brisk and makes things interesting.and insider There are also performances starring Al Pacino and others. Russell Crowe It helps even at their best, or at least close to it.
Rent on Apple TV
1 “Waterfront” (1954)
Director: Elia Kazan
Movies featuring career-best performances such as marlon brandoand eva marie saint, on the waterfrontNot only is this one of the best movies of the 1950s, it’s definitely one of the best movies of all time. The film follows a man who witnesses, and even partially participates in, the criminal activities of a corrupt union led by a mob boss, and decides to stand up against the boss and the union despite the dangers. I am drawing.
on the waterfrontThe film, which deservedly won a big prize at the Academy Awards, is the quintessential fiction film about whistleblowing (yet gritty enough to make you believe it could have actually happened). feels real). Few films about one person standing up against something much bigger than themselves against the odds have been such big hits. on the waterfrontstill remains a classic drama 70 years after its initial release.
on the waterfront
- release date
- July 28, 1954
- director
- Elia Kazan
- cast
- Marlon Brando, Karl Malden, Lee J. Cobb, Rod Steiger, Eva Marie Saint
- runtime
- 1 hour 48 minutes
- Main genre
- crime
Rent on Apple TV