(Review) Kill The Messenger

THIS movie is based on two books Kill the Messenger by Nick Schou and Dark Alliance by Gary Webb.
Webb (Jeremy Renner) who is the focal point of this story was a Pulitzer Prize winning reporter with a small newspaper San Jose Mercury Times.
He publishes a story about suspected drug pushers who had their property confiscated by the US government before they have been charged.
Then he receives a call from a drug lord's girlfriend Carol Boca (Paz Vega) who shows him evidence of how the US government is involved in the drug trafficking in the country.
Determined to find out more especially after he is given a court transcript where he notes a major drug dealer and supplier is a witness for the prosecution.
Webb starts digging and discovers that the CIA has been helping drug dealers bring drugs into the US in order to raise funding for their operations in Nicaragua.
When the story hits the stands, Webb is hailed a hero but other media outlets and journalists, either due to jealousy or holding a grudge, start poking holes in his story and pretty soon, Webb's credibility is called into question.
He even brushes aside his editor Anna Simons' (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) well-meaning advice and continues to pursue the case after being assigned to another bureau.
His relationship with his wife Susan (Rosemarie DeWitt) suffers as a result but Webb soon discovers that the damage to his credibility cannot be repaired.
The movie's pace could have been better but despite that you really want to know what happens next. Renner is riveting as Webb and though the story is told from Webb's viewpoint it's still engaging as he was never depicted as being perfect.
Actors such as Ray Liotta, Oliver Platt, Michael Sheen, Richard Schiff, Andy Garcia and Barry Pepper have small but pivotal roles in the movie.
Hats off to the director adding a video of the real Webb playing with his children in the closing credits.