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User Reviews for: A Private War

Bertaut
CONTAINS SPOILERS7/10  one year ago
Not a patch on Under the Wire but still pretty solid

A Private War is a fine film, but it's nowhere near the quality of Christopher Martin's exceptional Under the Wire (2018), a documentary about Marie Colvin's last assignment, and how her photographer, Paul Conroy, got out of Syria after her death. Wisely, screenwriter Arash Amel and director Martin Heineman chose not to tell the same story as Martin, focusing more on Colvin's life in London and her previous assignments, and concluding with her death. With this in mind, A Private War definitely has its own merits, as it deals with elements of Colvin's life not touched on by Martin. Avoiding hagiography, Heineman doesn't shy away from some of the darker aspects of Colvin's character (her refusal to accept she was suffering from PTSD, her alcoholism, her acerbity, her poor treatment of pretty much everyone she came into contact with, her appalling hygiene), with the film more interested in asking why she did what she did rather than simply showing what she did. Part-biopic, part-journalistic drama, part-war movie, if A Private War has a salient theme, it's that of The Truth and the price that some people are willing to pay to ensure that that Truth is known. It's by no means perfect, with some awful dialogue, scenes so on-the-nose you might need rhinoplasty after watching them, and an uneven central performance. However, it's a respectfully told story, the material is treated in a suitably serious manner, and historical authenticity always paramount.

For my complete review, please visit: https://boxd.it/E33Ql
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