Pupule rating: 3.9 (out of 4)
Consolidated Kahala
Truth be told, I walked past the poster for this movie many times and didn't recognize this face. The first time Keira Knightley made a splash, "Bend It Like Beckham" was a hit, featuring the slightly geeky, completely flusterable Knightley as a young woman who loves soccer and crushes on David Beckham. In "Official Secrets", she has truly come of age as Katherine Gun, a true-life government eavesdropper-turned-anti-illegal-war-force.
Knightley shines so well here, yet in such a subdued and nuanced performance. This is about major drama in global politics, not car chases or spacecraft 8 billion miles away. But the pacing, the on-point purpose to every scene, it wasn't just BBC on a large theater screen. It was simply efficient, powerful and inspiring.
I knew nothing about Gun, so this was a revelation. It's a sad thing, really, that whether it was the Iraqi War or current global crises, most people don't keep close attention. Apathy. Powerlessness. A refusal to worry about things we don't control. But Knightley as Gun makes me care more, and more so, appreciate her courage.
This was the back end of a doubleheader. I saw Hustlers first, and then Official Secrets. Two very different movies, but both featuring women making hard decisions. I'm so glad I caught Official Secrets before it leaves town.
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