Veronica Guerin
One of these days, a film will actually catch up to — or match up with — Cate Blanchett. And that will really be something to see.Few of the films in which the Australian-born Blanchett has appeared so far rise to the level of her performances. (Save perhaps the soggy "Charlotte Gray," which features her one duff acting turn.)
The Blanchett Rule continues to apply with "Veronica Guerin," a superficial biography about the slain Irish journalist. While Blanchett's performance as the title character is terrific, the film undercuts her at nearly every turn.
Also, the film never really manages to develop any other characters, which further serves to make Blanchett stand out from the rest of the cast.
"Veronica Guerin" follows the title character through 1996, the final year of her life. It was a turbulent 12-month period, one in which she turned her investigative skills to Ireland's growing drug problem and the drug lords responsible.
At first, her target is would-be gangster Martin "The General" Cahill (Gerry O'Brien). But after he's slain (conflicting reports point to both the IRA and rival gangsters), Guerin turns her attention to another man, John Gilligan (Gerald McSorley). He appears to have some ties to John Traynor (Ciaran Hinds), a former source of hers, who is now feeding her misleading information.
It's to Blanchett's credit that the character feels like a flesh-and-blood human being. Screenwriters Carol Doyle and Mary Agnes Donoghue can't decide whether they want to depict her as flawed or a saint.
Then there's Joel Schumacher's ham-fisted direction, which bludgeons home nearly every point. (It doesn't help that Harry Gregson-Williams' score intrudes on even the most quiet moments.)
And, while it's true that few of Blanchett's fellow cast members could match her even on their best days, none here seem interested in even trying. (The only one who might, Colin Farrell, is here for just a brief, throw-away cameo.)
"Veronica Guerin" is rated R for frequent use of strong sexual profanity, violence (gunplay, torture and violence against women), simulated drug use (heroin), use of crude sexual slang terms, gore and brief sex (overheard). Running time: 92 minutes.
E-MAIL: jeff@desnews.com