Veronica Guerin

Year: 2003

Grade: C-

Country: Ireland

Director: Schumacher

Review

it’s a good thing the true story was worth telling because the execution in this film was really poor. right from the beginning the filmmakers made a poor choice. they chose to begin at the end (the title character’s death), and then a couple title cards act as a preface for the remainder of the film. one problem with opening this way is that it’s been done before and unless you have a good reason for it, you shouldn’t do it. and i don’t think they had good reason to do it. the other problem with opening that way is that shortly before she is killed, she is in court for multiple speeding tickets. she is able to get away with a fine (instead of having her license revoked) because, despite being “guilty as sin” (her words), she’s a famous reporter and needs her car to do her work. she speeds away from the courthouse and calls some of her friends and family on her cell phone to brag about having gotten off with a mere 100 pound fine. when she gets to a stop light a motorcycle pulls alongside her car and the driver kills her. i’m not sure why you would start off this way. why put her worst foot forward first? the film’s epilogue was no better. using a voice-over the filmmakers attempted to turn veronica guerin into a martyr and national hero. again, it may have been true, but the execution was so poor that it detracted from any feelings i may have had by the end. one of those cases in which a 30 minute documentary would have been a better homage to the person’s life and work.