Fair Game (2010)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Raymond W

  
  A fantastic political thriller type film that features great performances from Naomi Watts and Sean Penn, but it moves a little too slowly in parts, and gives no real depth to the characters. This film is brimming with anger, which is compelling, and the performances are brilliant… More
  A fantastic political thriller type film that features great performances from Naomi Watts and Sean Penn, but it moves a little too slowly in parts, and gives no real depth to the characters. This film is brimming with anger, which is compelling, and the performances are brilliant which is what drives the film. Overall, Fair Game is an above average political thriller/biopic that deserved more attention.

• Josh M

  
  Fair Game is a well produced op ed page, as if written by the film's protagonist, disgruntled diplomat Joe Wilson (Sean Penn). Director Liman has made the flick diverting enough, with a great cast. However, it treats it's protagonists with kid gloves,and doesn't… More
  Fair Game is a well produced op ed page, as if written by the film's protagonist, disgruntled diplomat Joe Wilson (Sean Penn). Director Liman has made the flick diverting enough, with a great cast. However, it treats it's protagonists with kid gloves,and doesn't delve into their personal lives as deeply as it should. The most interesting aspects of the story are submerged in favour of a strident condemnation and expose of the Bush White house (certainly a worthy goal, but not the most worthy film material). WIlson is an ex diplomat who is assiged by his CIA spy wife (Naomi Watts, solid as usual) to investigate whether Saddam has ordered uranium in Africa for his supposed WMDs. When the verdict is negative, Wilson is shocked when Bush makes the discredited allegation on national TV, launching the war in Iraq. He writes an Op Ed piece in the NY Times about it and then both he and his wife are discredited, but her career at the CIA is destroyed. The movie avoids going into very much emotional detail about the strains on the Wilsons' marriage, and any moral qualms that Wilson may have about what his self-righteous actions to hurt his family. That's the movie I would have liked to see. Still, it's got plenty going for it, and it's one of the more watchable Iraq films, all of which have been huge box office flops except Hurt Locker. Why is that?

• Candy R

  
  Based on true story. It's a political drama about a CIA agent who is outer after investigating weapons of mass destruction in Iraq after 9/11. Slow moving. Requires a lot of thought.

• Lorenzo v

  
  <i>"Wife. Mother. Spy."</i> CIA operative Valerie Plame discovers her identity is allegedly leaked by the government as payback for an op-ed article her husband wrote criticizing the Bush administration. <center><font size=+2 face="Century… More
  <i>"Wife. Mother. Spy."</i> CIA operative Valerie Plame discovers her identity is allegedly leaked by the government as payback for an op-ed article her husband wrote criticizing the Bush administration. <center><font size=+2 face="Century Schoolbook"><b><u>REVIEW</u></b></font></center> "Fair Game" is a taut, no-nonsense account of the outing of a CIA agent in the wake of 9/11 after she led an investigation that found no evidence of a weapons program in Iraq despite the White House's use of that threat as the basis for its invasion. Naomi Watts plays Plame and Sean Penn plays Joe Wilson, Plame's husband and a former ambassador who came forward in the media about the bullying and corruption his family was being exposed to. Both give fierce, committed performances; in their hands, the film is as much a portrait of a marriage under stress as it is a rally cry against government irresponsibility and abuse. "Fair Game" is not fair at all. It's at times almost ridiculously one sided, falling into hero worship of Plame and Wilson and demonizing the Bush administration (and particularly Scooter Libby and Karl Rove) to the point of caricature. But as always with "one against the government" stories, practically all we've heard about this controversy both as it played out at the time and since is what the government and the media have wanted us to hear, so it's refreshing to be one-sided in the opposite direction for a couple of hours.

• Crash E

  
  I want it come to the end fast as possible, it was so boring, they said it's a true events, I say there is no need to make a movie out of it

• Manu G

  
  Wife. Mother. Spy. This movie which is very political and intelligent didn't really impress me that much. It is very well made thus it bored me and didn't really move me in any way. Naomi Watts gives a a spellbinding performance as well as Sean Penn. Valerie Plame is… More
  Wife. Mother. Spy. This movie which is very political and intelligent didn't really impress me that much. It is very well made thus it bored me and didn't really move me in any way. Naomi Watts gives a a spellbinding performance as well as Sean Penn. Valerie Plame is employed by the Central Intelligence Agency, a fact known outside the agency to no one except her husband and parents. She is an agent involved in a number of sensitive and sometimes dangerous covert operations overseas. Her husband, Joseph C. Wilson, is a diplomat who most recently has served as a U.S. ambassador to Gabon, Sao Tome and Principe. Due to his extensive background, Wilson is approached by Plame's CIA colleagues to travel to Niger and glean information as to whether yellowcake uranium is being procured by Iraq for use in the construction of nuclear weasons. Wilson determines to his own satisfaction that it is not. After military action is taken by George W. Bush, who justifies it in a 2003 State of the Union address by alluding to the uranium's use in building weapons of mass destruction, Wilson submits an op-ed piece to the New York Times claiming these reports to be categorically untrue. Plame's status as a CIA agent is subsequently revealed in the media, the leak possibly coming from White House officials including the Vice President's chief of staff and national security adviser, Scooter Libby, in part to discredit her husband's allegation that the Bush administration had manipulated intelligence to justify the invasion of Iraq. As a result, Plame is instantly dismissed from the agency, leaving several of her delicate operations in limbo and creating a rift in her marriage. Plame leaves her husband, further angered by his granting of television and print interviews, which expose them both to public condemnation and death threats. Wilson ultimately persuades her, however, that there is no other way to fight a power as great as that of the White House for citizens like them. Plame returns to him and testifies before a Congressional committee, while Libby is convicted of perjury and obstruction of justice and given a 30-month prison sentence, although President Bush commutes the jail time on Libby's behalf.

• Dean M

  
  Director Doug Liman firmly tackles real-world spies and controversial recent history. In the vein of 1970s conspiracy potboilers, this persuasively authentic drama may seem to be a round-about assault upon the "weapons of mass destruction" mess, if you don't recall what… More
  Director Doug Liman firmly tackles real-world spies and controversial recent history. In the vein of 1970s conspiracy potboilers, this persuasively authentic drama may seem to be a round-about assault upon the "weapons of mass destruction" mess, if you don't recall what happened to lead character, Valerie Plame (Naomi Watts) in real life. As <i>Fair Game</i> depicts, the CIA agent was outed by a newspaper, seemingly in retaliation against the criticism her husband Joe Wilson (Sean Penn) leveled at the Bush administration. The real protagonists of Liman's frank procedural were heavily involved in its formation, but most bias is doused beneath cold facts. While well earned, the swing from the political, to the personal, saps some of the sting. However, the second half isn't as adroit as its info-heavy precursor. Working together for the third time, Watts and Penn share a nuanced rapport which helps us stay the course when the John-Henry Butterworth's back-off from dissecting the extremely different reactions of a besieged wife and husband.

• Everett J

  
  I loaned this to my Dad and he refused to watch it once he read what it was about and that it starred Sean Penn. Now, I'm not a bleeding heart liberal(no matter what my friend Billy says), but I definitely sway more liberal than conservative. This moving leans way more left… More
  I loaned this to my Dad and he refused to watch it once he read what it was about and that it starred Sean Penn. Now, I'm not a bleeding heart liberal(no matter what my friend Billy says), but I definitely sway more liberal than conservative. This moving leans way more left than right, but the story is geared that way. Whether or not it's all accurate to what really happened is up for debate, but the movie is engaging enough to make you not care. Penn and Watts give great performances in a film that could have been very boring, and parts of it are, but they keep you interested to the end. As far as political thrillers go, this is top notch. Not for everyone, but watch it with an open mind and you will probably get caught up in the acting. No matter your political affiliation, you will probably be entertained if you want an intelligent thriller that asks tough questions that don't always present easy answers.

• Fernando Rafael Q

  
  Engrossing political thriller in the vein of State of Play and Syriana, with an impressive cast led by the always excellent Naomi Watts and legendary actor Sean Penn. Interesting account of the post-9/11 period leading to the Iraq war explores issues of paranoia, misinformation and… More
  Engrossing political thriller in the vein of State of Play and Syriana, with an impressive cast led by the always excellent Naomi Watts and legendary actor Sean Penn. Interesting account of the post-9/11 period leading to the Iraq war explores issues of paranoia, misinformation and national security. Riveting performances and a brisk pace allowed me to enjoy this film, even though I didn't fully understand all the legal and governmental mumbo-jumbo.

• Bruce B

  
  I'm not a big fan of Sean Penn and this movie gives me even more reason to dislike him and his acting. He plays a complete dick who pretty much throws his wife under the bus. The director Doug Liman goes out of his way to discredit the bush administration. My question will he do… More
  I'm not a big fan of Sean Penn and this movie gives me even more reason to dislike him and his acting. He plays a complete dick who pretty much throws his wife under the bus. The director Doug Liman goes out of his way to discredit the bush administration. My question will he do the same to the present warlord Obama. Still my comments aside it might be enjoyed by some. 3 stars

• Mike S

  
  Tight and well-paced thriller, filled with suspense and intelligent dialogue. Right from the get-go the story hooked me in, and held my full attention until the very last minute. The writing is crisp and the turn of events quite exhilarating. All the things you could ask for in a… More
  Tight and well-paced thriller, filled with suspense and intelligent dialogue. Right from the get-go the story hooked me in, and held my full attention until the very last minute. The writing is crisp and the turn of events quite exhilarating. All the things you could ask for in a movie like this. And with talented thespians like Sean Penn and Naomi watts, it adds up to a viewing that oozes quality all over.

• Lewis C

  
  "When did the question move from 'Why are we going to war?' to 'Who is this man's wife?'" Fair Game takes the huge media storm of a few years ago surrounding the leaked identity of CIA agent Valerie Plame Wilson, and focuses on the strain placed on… More
  "When did the question move from 'Why are we going to war?' to 'Who is this man's wife?'" Fair Game takes the huge media storm of a few years ago surrounding the leaked identity of CIA agent Valerie Plame Wilson, and focuses on the strain placed on her and her family by the intentional exposure of her identity by government officials in retaliation for her husband's infamous New York Times op-ed piece. Movies based on actual, heavily politically-based events usually aren't my thing, but Naomi Watts as Valerie and Sean Penn as her husband really do an excellent job of conveying this serious, and at times troubling, story. Watts portrays Plame as an intelligent and capable woman who is easy to sympathize with. As she's effectively blocked out from her job at the C.I.A. and her personal life begins to swiftly unravel, she keeps a steely resolve that's wholly believable. And while Sean Penn doesn't have to stretch far for his character, he also makes him feel like a genuine person. Great acting from them both to compliment the solid script. Anyone even casually interested in the Valerie Plame scandal should check this out, as it's a pretty darn good (and thought-provoking) adaptation of a dark time in our country's recent history.

• Steven C

  
  One of the biggest mysteries of the the 2010 film year is that Naomi Watts was completely overlooked. Watts had a trio of tremendous performances that year, with Rodrigo Garcia's "Mother and Child," Woody Allen's "You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger," and… More
  One of the biggest mysteries of the the 2010 film year is that Naomi Watts was completely overlooked. Watts had a trio of tremendous performances that year, with Rodrigo Garcia's "Mother and Child," Woody Allen's "You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger," and Doug Liman's "Fair Game." In "Fair Game" she plays real life former CIA agent Valerie Plame along side Sean Penn as Plame's husband Joe Wilson. These two actors bring to life the twisty story of actual government lies and the wrongful exposure of Plame as a spy. "Fair Game" is as good and just as important as the 1979 classic "All the President's Men." And like Alan J. Pakula's Best Picture winner, "Fair Game" is not some leftish, propaganda piece. "Fair Game" promotes logical thought and holding people responsible for their actions, even if those people run the country with which you live. "Fair Game" works as a political thriller, historical docudrama and commentary on the lethal combination of media and government- which is an extremely important issue. The film itself is well written (based off the books Wilson and Plame penned after the events) with snappy dialogue and well directed by Liman (who also shoots the film himself). Watts and Penn are terrific here as well, proving time and again they have what it takes to be some of this generations best performers. "Fair Game" is an important, even handed and thrilling recreation. A damn fine film. If you like "Fair Game" definitely check out Rob Lurie's fictionalized take on these events in the film "Nothing But the Truth." It might be a fake story, but it's an incredible film in it's own right.

• Jakey L

  
  The anger brimming over the screenplay is palpable. The movie superbly tackled the meaning of critical analysis on both media and the upper echelon's dissemination of intelligence and the fraction of truth covered by thick shells of exaggeration, misleading truths and the false… More
  The anger brimming over the screenplay is palpable. The movie superbly tackled the meaning of critical analysis on both media and the upper echelon's dissemination of intelligence and the fraction of truth covered by thick shells of exaggeration, misleading truths and the false consciousness it does to people. Some may see right through and the script depicted the action of that someone who challenges that intelligence even if the one on the other side of the ring is a behemoth that controls our false consciousness. That being said, the line between a biopic and political fiction is completely blurred by the brimming but justifiable anger the script has. A unique David and Goliath confrontation in this age of information that needs to be watched.

• familiar s

  
  That US has a tendency to attack the oil-rich countries by making false claims is a foregone fact. I don't need a movie to tell me that, but the movie explores that area very aptly. Okay, Saddam was a monster and needed to be removed, but it doesn't have to be in such a… More
  That US has a tendency to attack the oil-rich countries by making false claims is a foregone fact. I don't need a movie to tell me that, but the movie explores that area very aptly. Okay, Saddam was a monster and needed to be removed, but it doesn't have to be in such a disastrous way as adopted by US. However, I didn't understand why those scientists were kept under surveillance and forced to remain on their respective posts (failure to which would result in obstructing their family's survival) for so many years if they were not involved in the making of WMD. If the potentiality of that program was destroyed years ago, for whom were these scientists working? Or did they really part their ways after their leader was executed in the 90s? 'Where The Truth Lies' (which is already used by Atom Egoyan for his stupendous 2005 thriller flick starring Kevin Bacon and Colin Firth) would have been more suitable title for this movie.

• Veronique K

  
  i assume people who go to theater for this movie probably have read books like disaster capitalism by naomi klein or all the other books about the conspiracies of globalization and how some powerful western governments try to team up with rich capitalists to profit from wars, riots… More
  i assume people who go to theater for this movie probably have read books like disaster capitalism by naomi klein or all the other books about the conspiracies of globalization and how some powerful western governments try to team up with rich capitalists to profit from wars, riots and natural disasters. sometimes to make one war is also under the agenda. if you read any of those books, fair game is like a blatant illustrations of what you already knew pretty well. or if you see it and like it, it means you accept the education which is similar with the messages from those leftist-sympatized books conveyed in a more tangible and populist manner. to me, this movie is like 2010 wall street, which just collects the has-beens and has-happeneds to pastiche into a picture to sell and retell the inside story over and over again to educate the audience about the truth which will never change the world. come on, war against iraque almost comes to an end (has it?), and bush is no longer president. so what's the point? he's eaten the cake and held as much power as he could for 8 years, and he's retired. so what could it possibly harm him or make a differences to all the damages done? same as cheney. the previledged still remains safe and sound and the deprived is still struggling. and watching a 88-min political movie could better off the world and keep the strong from bullying the weak? in the moment you could publicly discuss some once-controversial political or racist issue, it means it's already in the past and whatever you said won't make a difference. fair game is released in 2010, one decade after the 911, does that mean regrets over iraque is a popular topic now?

• William D

  
  "Fair Game" is a movie for grown-ups. That of course means that no one will go see it. Since the 21st century began, adults have completely lost interest in films made for grown-ups. They only want to see movies made for children and teenagers. If there's no adolescent… More
  "Fair Game" is a movie for grown-ups. That of course means that no one will go see it. Since the 21st century began, adults have completely lost interest in films made for grown-ups. They only want to see movies made for children and teenagers. If there's no adolescent quality to the movie, adults won't touch it. This is sad because "Fair Game" is one of the best American films of the year, and watching it is a thrilling experience. It tells the true story of Valerie Plame, the covert CIA officer whose life was endangered when her cover was blown by senior officials in the Bush Administration. The film is intelligent and serious but also fast-moving and dramatic. Naomi Watts portrays Ms. Plame, and Sean Penn plays her husband. Both provide under-stated, highly realistic performances that bring the Plame family to life in a vibrant way. The film gets slightly preachy at the end, but for the most part it is level-headed and fair, letting the facts speak for themselves. Part of why "Fair Game" works so well is that the director, Doug Liman, is an expert in edge-of-your-seat drama. His previous films include "The Bourne Identity" (2002) and "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" (2005). Here he brings all those entertainment talents to bear on a serious drama. The selection of Liman as director was an inspired choice on the part of the producers. In addition to learning about the political ruthlessness of Washington, the viewer of "Fair Game" gets an unprecedented lesson in how the CIA functions. This is not only important, it surprisingly also is gripping cinema. I've always wondered what it must be like to work there, and what kinds of secrecy people live under. As an example, Plame's family (her husband and her parents) know that she works at the CIA, but that's all they know. They have no idea what she actually does. When she goes on international travel, which is often, she lies to her husband and says she's going to a city in the United States. Her friends are even more in the dark. They think she works at a venture capital outfit. When Plame is "outed" in the national media, it is fascinating to watch her friends confront her with their jaws hanging open. "Valerie, it says in the paper that you work for the CIA." One of them also asks in a frightened voice, "Have you killed people?" Plame comes clean about being a CIA officer for almost 20 years, but does not give them any more information. Another aspect of the CIA life that is particularly tough is the knowledge that if your cover is blown, your entire family is in danger. As the mother of two small children, Plame knows this better than anyone. "Fair Game" doesn't get emotionally manipulative with regard to Plame's children, but it reminds us many times that Plame is a mother. Their safety cuts to the heart of what makes this Washington "scandal" so disturbing. "Fair Game" is must-see viewing for anyone who cares about current events and anyone who enjoys great movies.

• Carlos M

  
  A compelling political drama based on a shocking, outraging real story. The best about this film, however, is seeing how the situation deeply affects the relationship between the characters - who are superbly performed by the always perfect Naomi Watts and Sean Penn.

• c0up  

  
  'Fair Game'. A fascinating political thriller, with Naomi Watts delivering the performance of her career. One of the best movies of the year

• Aaron N

  
  [Addressing an assembly of students] Joe Wilson: How many of you know the sixteen words in Bush's State of the Union address that put us into war with Iraq? None of you? How many of you know my wife's name? [All hands are raised] Fair Game is both a drama centered on… More
  [Addressing an assembly of students] Joe Wilson: How many of you know the sixteen words in Bush's State of the Union address that put us into war with Iraq? None of you? How many of you know my wife's name? [All hands are raised] Fair Game is both a drama centered on politics and a character study about the struggle of a marriage. The story is based on true events, involving the Bush administration's attempts to discredit an American ambassador by revealing his wife's status as a covert CIA agent. The film is very much skewed towards a certain audience, but for those interested in a film like this, it is very well made. The direction and editing are solid enough to make note of, as the film constantly moves forward, while dealing with all of the information presented. Naomi Watts and Sean Penn star in the lead roles, and both give very good performances. The film deals with events that only happened a few years before this film was produced, so it does feel a bit close, but those interested can get an interesting look at this story. Watts stars Valerie Plame, a wife and mother, who actually works as a spy for the CIA. This is unknown to all her friends and neighbors, who simply believe she is the boring office worker living in the shadow of her husband, Joe Wilson (Penn), who is a former US Ambassador. Due to Joe's experience, he is given a chance (with a small connection through his wife) to travel to Niger and look into some intelligence claims regarding the sale of uranium to Iraq. Joe finds that no evidence of this was present, let alone possible. Unfortunately, this intelligence was needed to be proven positive in order to provide further reasons for troops to be put into Iraq. So despite Joe's claims, the information is spoken of in Bush's State of the Union address anyway. Due to Joe both wanting the truth to be known and his stubborn nature, he writes an article in that is published in The New York Times, discrediting what has been presented and making the White House look bad. In order to do damage control, a series of events takes place, headed by Dick Cheney's chief of staff, Scooter Libby (David Andrews), which leads to Valerie's real name and CIA status being revealed by the press. This puts her career, her family, and many already-in-motion operations she currently has setup in jeopardy. The rest of the film pertains to the struggle Valerie and Joe must go through to deal with the fiasco that has been created, and the arguments these two get into, in an attempt to figure out what the right thing is to do. Valerie Plame: You have no idea what we can and cannot do. The film was directed by Doug Liman, who has gone from his early days of directing Swingers, to heading up big action blockbusters such as The Bourne Identity and Mr. and Mrs. Smith. It is interesting to see him tackle a film like this, a much less active drama, as opposed to his previous pictures, but what certainly worked for me in this film is the way he has directed it, and how his crew has put it together. Additionally, the film was shot on location in several different countries, adding a sense of authenticity to it. Now, a film like this, which is dialogue heavy throughout, could have had no pulse, presenting information very straight-forward, and definitely not helping to be accessible to everyone. Fortunately, with Liman serving as his own cinematographer, he and his editors have put together a film that constantly moves and looks good. Make no mistake, this is not quick-paced as something like 'Bourne', but for a political drama, I was very engaged throughout, without thinking I should have done research in order to keep up with what events were taking place. Not being a very political person, let alone one that feels should offer up those sorts of opinions to this forum, I can say that I was happy with how the film presented its information. The script was based on the novels written by the real Joe Wilson and Valerie Plume, The Politics of Truth and Fair Game: My Life as a Spy, My Betrayal by the White House. Because of this, the entire film is told from their perspectives. It does good enough work at holding its ground due to this, but the film never feels like it is preaching anything beyond fighting for what is right. In addition to the film's assembly, I found the casting to be a huge success for the film. Watts and Penn both deliver great performances. Say what you will about how close this may be to Penn's actual agenda, but he does a great job as both this man with both the beliefs and knowledge available, along with the abilities to do what he can to fight. Watts is equally good as well, holding together as the world she has worked hard to balance quickly teeters over the edge. As much as the film functions to be about its political aspects, a special focus is also placed on the relationship that these two share, and how it is challenged in the wake of these events. Fortunately, Penn and Watts are up to the challenge and perform nicely with each other, as they argue, bond, and care for their children. The film is also packed with recognizable character actors. I could name drop many actors for a whole new paragraph, but suffice it to say that the numerous people present help to give credence to this film (and Sam Shepard pops up in this film too; he's always welcome). Again, I honestly can't say that everyone should go out and see this film; however, to those who are intrigued by the premise, I can certainly say it is well worth it. This film is a well put together drama that features great talent both in front of and behind the camera. It accomplishes what it needs to, and is quite informative about familiar and recent events that have transpired. Diana: Do you have a gun? Have you killed people? Valerie Plame: ...I can't tell you anything.

Read all 20 featured audience ratings