Reality (2023 film): Difference between revisions
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'''''Reality''''' is a 2023 American [[drama film|drama]] film directed by [[Tina Satter]], from a screenplay by Satter and James Paul Dallas. It is based |
'''''Reality''''' is a 2023 American [[drama film|drama]] film directed by [[Tina Satter]], from a screenplay by Satter and James Paul Dallas. It is based on the FBI interrogation transcript of American intelligence leaker [[Reality Winner]], which Satter previously staged as the play ''Is This A Room''.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Meyer |first1=Dan |title=Sydney Sweeney to Star in IS THIS A ROOM Movie |url=https://www.theatrely.com/post/sydney-sweeney-to-star-in-is-this-a-room-movie |website=Theatrely |access-date=17 December 2022 |archive-date=December 18, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221218000101/https://www.theatrely.com/post/sydney-sweeney-to-star-in-is-this-a-room-movie |url-status=live }}</ref> It stars [[Sydney Sweeney]] as Winner, with [[Marchánt Davis]] and [[Josh Hamilton (actor)|Josh Hamilton]] in supporting roles. |
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''Reality'' premiered at the [[2023 Berlin International Film Festival]] on February 18, 2023, and released on May 29, 2023, by [[HBO Films]]. It has received critical acclaim, with praise for Satter's direction and Sweeney's performance. |
''Reality'' premiered at the [[2023 Berlin International Film Festival]] on February 18, 2023, and released on May 29, 2023, by [[HBO Films]]. It has received critical acclaim, with praise for Satter's direction and Sweeney's performance. |
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Revision as of 14:12, 31 May 2023
| Reality | |
|---|---|
 Official poster | |
| Directed by | Tina Satter |
| Screenplay by |
|
| Based on | Is This A Room by Tina Satter |
| Produced by |
|
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Paul Yee[1] |
| Edited by |
|
| Music by | Nathan Micay[3] |
Production companies |
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| Distributed by | HBO Films |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 83 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Reality is a 2023 American drama film directed by Tina Satter, from a screenplay by Satter and James Paul Dallas. It is based on the FBI interrogation transcript of American intelligence leaker Reality Winner, which Satter previously staged as the play Is This A Room.[4] It stars Sydney Sweeney as Winner, with Marchánt Davis and Josh Hamilton in supporting roles.
Reality premiered at the 2023 Berlin International Film Festival on February 18, 2023, and released on May 29, 2023, by HBO Films. It has received critical acclaim, with praise for Satter's direction and Sweeney's performance.
Plot
On May 9, 2017, Reality Winner watches Fox News coverage on the firing of James Comey by President Donald Trump on the TV at her office. 25 days later, on June 3, Winner returns home from grocery shopping where she is confronted by FBI agents Taylor and Garrick, who explain they have a warrant to search her house and her belongings. As a team of agents arrive and begin searching the house, Winner engages in casual conversation with the agents, all of which is picked up by recording device, the transcript of which forms the basis of the film's dialogue. During the early portion of the recording, Winner expresses concern for her pet dog and cat's safety during the search.
Winner agrees to speak with Taylor and Garrick in an empty, disused bedroom in her house. Garrick and Taylor start to question Winner asking about the specifics of her work. She explains, besides working as a yoga instructor and CrossFit trainer, she is a Farsi translator for a government contractor and is hoping to be deployed so her expertise in various Arabic dialects can be better utilized. The agents eventually reveal they are questioning Winner regarding the recent leak of classified government documents to an online publication. Winner initially denies knowledge, but over the course of an hour is eventually compelled to confess she printed and leaked a document from the National Security Agency's database. The film initially redacts specifics of the leak, as is done in the transcript, but eventually it is revealed that the documents pertained to Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections and the publication was The Intercept, which had put out a call for proof of Russian interference.
Winner denies wishing to be a whistleblower or undermine the intelligence community à la Edward Snowden, instead expressing she wished for the American public to have the same information the government had regarding the election. As the interrogation wraps up, she chiefly expresses concern for her pets as she realizes she will be taken into custody. She is escorted out of her house and handcuffed, as footage is shown of media reports regarding the leak. Winner receives both praise and criticism for her actions, with some accusing her of colluding with the Middle East or denying the veracity of the leaks altogether. Some outlets criticize The Intercept for allowing the leak to be traced back to Winner, and others theorize that Winner's punishment was designed to discourage potential whistleblowers.
A textual epilogue explains that Winner was denied bail and charged under the Espionage Act. She spent four years in jail and will remain on supervised release until November 2024. It notes that the same document Winner leaked was later used on Senate floor as evidence of Russian interference.
Cast
- Sydney Sweeney as Reality Winner
- Marchánt Davis as Agent Taylor (R. Wallace Taylor)
- Josh Hamilton as Agent Garrick (Justin C. Garrick)
- Benny Elledge as "Joe" (Unknown Male)[a]
- John Way as FBI Agent
Production
Development
The film depicts the interrogation of intelligence leaker Reality Winner, which took place on the day of her arrest on June 3, 2017. Winner, a former enlisted US Air Force member and NSA translator, leaked an intelligence report about Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections to the news website The Intercept. Winner was confronted at her home in Augusta, Georgia by FBI agents R. Wallace Taylor and Justin C. Garrick, who interrogated her over the course of an hour in an unused room in the house.[5]
Tina Satter turned the interrogation transcript into the verbatim theatre performance Is This A Room (based on the quote "Is this a room? Is that a room?" spoken by an FBI agent that is documented in the transcript), which premiered at The Kitchen in 2019 before an extended Off-Broadway run at the Vineyard Theatre later that year. The production starred Emily Davis as Winner, with Pete Simpson and TL Thompson as the interrogators, and Becca Blackwell as "Unknown Male", a classification in the transcript for dialogue from multiple FBI agents who were inspecting Winner's house during the interrogation.[6][7] The play premiered on Broadway at the Lyceum Theatre on October 10, 2021, and closed on November 27, 2021.[8] Winner herself was not involved with the production during its initial Off-Broadway run due to her imprisonment, and was unable to see the Broadway production due to still being under house arrest, but spoke with the creative team extensively following her release from prison and video-called into the opening night performance's curtain call.[9]
In June 2022, it was announced that Is This A Room would be adapted into a film, with Sydney Sweeney, Marchánt Davis and Josh Hamilton starring and Satter directing in her film debut, from a screenplay she wrote alongside James Paul Davis.[10][11] In preparation for her role, Sweeney watched interviews and spoke with the real Winner over Zoom and text. Sweeney used these conversations to understand Winner's speaking mannerisms which she would mimic. Mindful of Winner's job as a yoga trainer and CrossFit instructor, Sweeney also trained to increase her muscle mass, in some cases using workouts Winner posted on her Instagram.[12] In addition to her conversations with Sweeney, Winner consulted with the wardrobe and art departments throughout the production process.[12] Despite her involvement and support for the film, Reality Winner claims she will likely never see it for herself, due to finding the prospect of reliving the day of her arrest too traumatic.[13]
Filming
Principal photography began in May 2022, over the course of 16 days.[14] Exterior filming was done at the start of production, with the final 9-10 days focused on filming inside the room set. The entire interrogation sequence was filmed in order, which Sweeney found unusual due to most productions she had worked on filming out of order.[12]
Release
The film received its world premiere at the 2023 Berlin International Film Festival on February 18, 2023.[15] Shortly after, HBO Films acquired distribution rights to the film.[16]
Reception
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Reality received positive reviews from critics at Berlinale, with praise aimed at Satter's direction as well as the cast performances (particularly Sweeney's).[22][23] On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 97% based on 31 reviews with an average rating of 8/10. The site's critics consensus reads: "Reality's narrow scope and gripping fact-based story add up to a riveting showcase for Sydney Sweeney in the title role."[24] Metacritic assigned the film a weighted average score of 84 out of 100, based on 22 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[25]
David Rooney of The Hollywood Reporter praised the transition from the minimalist set design of Is This A Room to the film's realistic recreation of Winner's house, noting "Satter shows unfaltering command of the medium for a first-time film director," highlighting the use of the closeup as a direct translation of the play's surreal storytelling.[26]
Notes
- ^ "Unknown Male" is a classification in the transcript referring to multiple FBI agents who were present in Winner's house on June 3, 2017, several of whom were caught on the audio recording.
References
- ^ "Reality". Paul Yee. Archived from the original on December 16, 2022. Retrieved December 15, 2022.
- ^ "Jennifer Vecchiarello" (PDF). The Gersh Agency. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 16, 2022. Retrieved December 15, 2022.
- ^ "Nathan Micay Scoring Tina Satter's 'Reality'". Film Music Reporter. January 7, 2023. Retrieved May 6, 2023.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Meyer, Dan. "Sydney Sweeney to Star in IS THIS A ROOM Movie". Theatrely. Archived from the original on December 18, 2022. Retrieved December 17, 2022.
- ^ Timm, Trevor (June 2, 2018). "Whatever You Think of the Trump-Russia Investigation, Whistleblower Reality Winner Deserves Your Support". The Intercept. Archived from the original on June 12, 2018.
- ^ Millward, Tom. "Is This A Room extends limited run at Vineyard Theatre". New York Theatre Guide. Archived from the original on December 18, 2022. Retrieved December 17, 2022.
- ^ Kraine, Daniel (February 18, 2020). "Tina Satter Unlocks the Drama of an FBI Transcript". Extended Play by The Civilians. Retrieved February 27, 2023.
- ^ Harms, Talaura. "Is This A Room and Dana H. Extend Broadway Runs". Playbill. Archived from the original on December 18, 2022. Retrieved December 17, 2022.
- ^ Evans, Greg (November 9, 2021). "'Is This A Room' Q&A: Director Tina Satter On A Changing Broadway, Last-Minute Reprieves & Hoping For A Visit From Reality Winner". Deadline. Archived from the original on January 20, 2022. Retrieved June 13, 2022.
- ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (June 8, 2022). "Sydney Sweeney & Marchánt Davis Lead Tina Satter's Whistleblower Feature About Reality Winner". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on June 10, 2022. Retrieved December 15, 2022.
- ^ Brunnerq, Raven. "Is This A Room-Inspired Movie Adaptation in the Works". Playbill. Archived from the original on December 18, 2022. Retrieved December 18, 2022.
- ^ a b c Roxborough, Scott (February 16, 2023). "Berlin: Sydney Sweeney on Becoming NSA Whistleblower Reality Winner for Docu-Fiction 'Reality'". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on February 17, 2023. Retrieved April 19, 2023.
- ^ Ryan, Patrick. "Sydney Sweeney talks true story behind Reality Winner movie: 'You can't even write stuff like this!'". USA Today. Archived from the original on May 29, 2023. Retrieved May 30, 2023.
- ^ Sweeney, Sydney (December 15, 2022). "first look at our film "Reality" the American whistle blower directed by Tina Satter. back in may @jhamilton @marchantdavis and I shot for 16 grueling days, one room, and our words taken directly from the fbi transcript. so excited our film will be premiering at @berlinale, can't wait to share more :)". Instagram. Archived from the original on December 16, 2022. Retrieved December 15, 2022.
- ^ Roxborough, Scott (December 15, 2022). "Berlin Fest Unveils First 2023 Panorama and Generation Titles". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on December 15, 2022. Retrieved December 15, 2022.
- ^ Fleming, Mike Jr. (February 24, 2023). "HBO Acquires Berlin Fest Buzz Title 'Reality;' Breakout For Its 'Euphoria' Star Sydney Sweeney As Leaker Reality Winner In Tina Satter-Helmed Docudrama". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on February 25, 2023. Retrieved February 24, 2023.
- ^ Rooney, David (February 18, 2023). "'Reality' Review: Sydney Sweeney Is Devastating as Reality Winner in Taut Thriller Shaped from FBI Transcript". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on February 21, 2023. Retrieved February 25, 2023.
- ^ Oddo, Marco Vito (February 20, 2023). "'Reality' Review: Sydney Sweeney Gives Her Best Performance Yet in Masterful and Tense True Story". Collider. Archived from the original on February 22, 2023. Retrieved February 25, 2023.
- ^ Bramesco, Charles (February 18, 2023). "'Reality' Review: Sydney Sweeney Delivers A Tour De Force As A Cornered Whistleblower". The Playlist. Archived from the original on February 18, 2023. Retrieved February 25, 2023.
- ^ Green, Steph (February 18, 2023). "'Reality' Review: Sydney Sweeney Stuns in Fact-Based Single-Room Whistleblower Thriller". IndieWire. Archived from the original on February 21, 2023. Retrieved February 25, 2023.
- ^ Kiang, Jessica (February 18, 2023). "'Reality' Review: Sydney Sweeney Is Outstanding as Whistleblower Reality Winner in a Clever, Gripping Docudrama". Variety. Archived from the original on February 21, 2023. Retrieved February 25, 2023.
- ^ Heath, Paul. "'Reality' review [Berlinale 2023]". The Hollywood News. Archived from the original on February 19, 2023. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
- ^ Saito, Stephen (February 18, 2023). "Berlinale 2023 Review: "Reality" Reconsiders What's a Danger to the Public". The Moveable Fest. Archived from the original on February 19, 2023. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
- ^ "Reality (2023)". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on February 24, 2023. Retrieved May 30, 2023.
- ^ "Reality Reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on February 20, 2023. Retrieved May 30, 2023.
- ^ Rooney, David (February 18, 2023). "'Reality' Review: Sydney Sweeney Is Devastating as Reality Winner in Taut Thriller Shaped from FBI Transcript". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on February 20, 2023. Retrieved February 20, 2023.