Dark Waters (2019)
Director: Todd Haynes
Stars: Mark Ruffalo, Anne Hathaway, Tim RobbinsRuntime: 126 minutes
Synopsis: A corporate defense attorney takes on an environmental lawsuit against a chemical company that exposes a lengthy history of pollution.
Performances: 7/10
Screenplay: 7/10
Editing: 5/10
Cinematography: 7/10
Score/Soundtrack: 6/10
Screenplay: 7/10
Editing: 5/10
Cinematography: 7/10
Score/Soundtrack: 6/10
Verdict: When an ambitious lawyer finds out about a chemical that's been poisoning the water of a man's farm in West Virginia, he makes it his mission to bring down the corporation responsible for it. No, I'm not reciting the synopsis of Julia Roberts' "Erin Brockovich", but I'm indeed talking about Todd Haynes' latest directorial effort starring Mark Ruffalo and Anne Hathaway.
I've been postponing watching "Dark Waters" for a while now. Despite the positive reviews it received, I was nervous that the 2-hour long drama, which is based on a real story, would come off as a little dull. Now that I've finally managed to give it the attention it deserved, I have to admit that my initial fears were not entirely justified. In fact, I was pleasantly surprised by the end result, which serves as a thrilling story of a man's will to do what's right, even when faced against a juggernaut of a company that could potentially send his career down the drain.
It's definitely no masterpiece, and the film does suffer from some pacing issues, but the story alone is enough reason to check the movie out. I was invested in it from beginning to end and never found its execution to be sloppy or heavily dramatized. It was a genuine attempt at telling a fascinating story without taking any unnecessary detours, and it definitely succeeded in doing so. Mark Ruffalo's performance, despite being a little cheesy at times, was overall solid, much like the film's cinematography which relied on a greenish-gray color palette to emphasize the seriousness of the narrative and the feeling of dread.
I don't regret at all giving the movie a try and would even consider it to be among 2019's most pleasant surprises. It sort of came and went very fast and was never a contender during awards season, which I don't personally find surprising considering the fact that none of its technical aspects really jumped out, but it definitely does serve its purpose and deserves to be talked about more.
I've been postponing watching "Dark Waters" for a while now. Despite the positive reviews it received, I was nervous that the 2-hour long drama, which is based on a real story, would come off as a little dull. Now that I've finally managed to give it the attention it deserved, I have to admit that my initial fears were not entirely justified. In fact, I was pleasantly surprised by the end result, which serves as a thrilling story of a man's will to do what's right, even when faced against a juggernaut of a company that could potentially send his career down the drain.
It's definitely no masterpiece, and the film does suffer from some pacing issues, but the story alone is enough reason to check the movie out. I was invested in it from beginning to end and never found its execution to be sloppy or heavily dramatized. It was a genuine attempt at telling a fascinating story without taking any unnecessary detours, and it definitely succeeded in doing so. Mark Ruffalo's performance, despite being a little cheesy at times, was overall solid, much like the film's cinematography which relied on a greenish-gray color palette to emphasize the seriousness of the narrative and the feeling of dread.
I don't regret at all giving the movie a try and would even consider it to be among 2019's most pleasant surprises. It sort of came and went very fast and was never a contender during awards season, which I don't personally find surprising considering the fact that none of its technical aspects really jumped out, but it definitely does serve its purpose and deserves to be talked about more.
FINAL GRADE: 7/10
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