Winner

If you have seen the HBO production 'reality' then you may think, why bother to watch this version of the story of Reality Winner? Well this one has a much lighter, even comedic touch to it, they are both very different experiences. Whilst the HBO version may be more realistic in its presentation, 'Winner' is ultimately the more affecting of the two in my opinion. It could stand on its own as a film about a rebellious teen, and would be enjoyably involving, moving and thought provoking. However accurate it comes to portraying the facts and experiences of the situation, one thing is certain, it gets across the message regarding the state of the political, judicial and intelligence sectors of the USA. Which all, depending on your biases, are truly lacking. Maybe not so much as in even the majority of other countries, but certainly far from that aspirational 'Shining City on a Hill' mantra.

It's deeply ironic that a young ex forces woman was jailed for years for printing out a few pages, when the person who was the beneficiary of the Russian interference she wished to highlight, had boxes full of top secret documents he had stolen as a private citizen in his toilet, yet will likely never even see the inside of a prison cell?

This is a highly entertaining film, watch it.

Winner (2024) is an absolute must-see for anyone who values truth and integrity. The film brilliantly showcases the incredible courage of Reality Winner, a woman who risked everything to expose the dark truths the government desperately tries to hide. Emilia Jones delivers a breathtaking performance, capturing Reality's intense moral struggle with such visceral emotion that it pulls you deep into her world.

This film doesn't just tell a gripping story; it stands as a powerful testament to the sacrifices made by those who dare to defend what is right. Watching Reality's journey, I felt a surge of anger and admiration. The American government punishes heroes like her, labeling whistleblowers as criminals for exposing injustice. This film challenges us to reconsider our definitions of heroism and villainy, compelling us to celebrate those who bravely speak out.

Winner struck a profound chord within me. It served as a stark reminder of the costs of standing up for your principles, no matter the personal cost. Reality Winner's story doesn't just tug at your heartstrings; it forces you to confront what you would sacrifice to uphold the truth. This film lingers in your mind long after the credits roll, urging you to reflect on the true meaning of courage, integrity, and the fight against oppression. It resonates deeply with my core values, inspiring me to champion those who dare to challenge the status quo.

Hard to review this film without somehow getting on someone's nerves. I liked the acting and the movie was OK in terms of pacing and production. However it was difficult for me to reconcile the real case, the bias that the filmmakers were pushing for and the entertainment part of the film. Imagine if Ed Snowden was a blonde woman with absolutely no people skills, spy skills or revealing anything truly interesting. You get to know her, then the movie is over. That's about it.

Now, there is nothing wrong with her being a woman, being blonde or caring about politicians lying through their teeth on TV about Russian interference in American voting, it's just that it was not something entertaining. The makers of this film struggled its entire length to make the characters relatable and interesting, and they did a good job with what they had, but it still wasn't really interesting. Emilia Jones did great work, too, but couldn't make a bland film something else than what it was.

If you thought the film was about some legal battle against the government or some shrewd individual outsmarting the security apparatus of the United States or about real drama and human suffering, you get none of that. Instead you get an average person, trying to do the right thing in a terribly naive way and paying for it. I got to feel more about that poor guy who liked her than about all of the people killed by the military, the main character, her family or anyone else in the film.

Bottom line: the film made me aware of the existence of this case, but it wasn't anything special in real life and the film couldn't elevate it to something else entirely, no matter how hard they tried.

It's very humourous, and tells a very human story of an activist and person with a strong moral compass. If there were more people like her. We'd have fewer wars and stop hemmoraging money we need to fix this country and help the impoverished. Instead of funding needless conflicts and army bases all over the world. Instead of punishing whistleblowers we condemn and imprison them for speaking out against against secretive government policies that overall make us all less safe and less free. People live in their own echo chambers and have refused to read books or listen to other points of view from those who live in other countries, especially the ones we devastate with our bombs, just because we want their oil or they refuse to obey us.

Or is wrong right? Well no pun intended - also I am not sure if you are aware but there is another movie with the same ... well "story". The other one has Sydney Sweeney in the main role ... and it also "only" concentrates on the one day and on Winners perspective .. and she is anything but winning - compiled through the transcript it gives us the faithful (well not so much faith but that aside) day.

This really shines a light on so much more of the person ... and her family and friends. Doing what you may think is right ... well the law may see it differently ... to think that others (let's say more powerful people) got away with a lot worse than what she did ... well puts it all into perspective.

The "little" (wo)man always has a way more difficult stance. This is another prove of that - because again it is based on a true story ... we get some more recent updates ... but it still makes you wonder if other people should have been treated differently ... not to mention maybe not be in a "job" right now ... crazy world we live in.