Dark Waters: Review by @Kush_Hayes
This feels like that Inspired by a True Story Hail Mary that comes by this time every year, While a factual account of a major corporation lying to the very public it employs including its customer base as well as the nation it operates should feel very serious, it is in fact incredibly boring and ultimately incomplete. And it is a bummer to write that out when you understand this was a passion project for most of the actors involved. Whatever it is supposed to inform todays public feels uninspired. And when you read the statistic that 99% of the population of the United States carries the chemicals exposed within this factual drama, you dont feel any more concerned than when we started this story.
We start our story with Marc Ruffalo's character Robert “Rob” Bilott after making partner at the firm he works for. And sure enough, on his first day as partner, someone noncorporate walks into the office, interrupting things, nearly begging for his help based on geographical coincidence. Out of curiosity, Rob takes a peek at whats going on in this area of West Virginia. Between the unexpected visit and Robs casual interest, we establish that most of the world towers of Rob, not just in height, but up too and even including personality, including his subordinates and even his wife. Now Im sure theres exceptions to every rule, but lawyers are trained to argue and be aggressive, not just with the law, but life itself, it feels weird how passive this character is even at five foot eight inches. And that some one this passive would just be made a business partner without being able to help bring in revenue to support the business he was a partner in. ...I also know nothing of legal practices and may have no understanding how these things work. However, every legal drama seems to feature someone becoming “a partner”.
After some thorough investigating, Rob discovers that the corporation his firm represents is in actuality poisoning the public. Then he files some paperwork. Some more investigations are held. Time passes. The law takes a long time to administer against mega conglomerates. Time passes, money gets tight, life goes on, his family expands, stress weighs on him. Despite it never alluding to be a thing, we get a scene where we’re supposed to be scared about his car being wired to explode on their property. Which it never does, because it wasnt a thing.
No one in this movie does a bad job. Everyone gives their best performance. But the subject isnt enticing. The material isnt attention holding. The timeline is pretty loose for a subject I knew nothing about. The direction of the film is neither bad nor great. If youre a lawyer, this may be a great film. For everyone else, including the survivors within this story, it feels like something that could be seen and shared on syndicated cable tv and then forgotten. It is as exciting as a legal deposition.
Two out of Six Blueberries.
Rated PG13 for thematic content, some disturbing images, and strong language.
Focus Features
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