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Veronica Guerin (2003)

Starring Cate Blanchett, Ciarán Hinds, Brenda Fricker, and Colin Farrell.  Cinematography by Brendan Galvin.  Editing by David Gamble.  Produced by Jerry Bruckheimer.  Written by Carol Doyle and Mary Agnes Donoghue.  Directed by Joel Schumacher.

In the mid 1990’s the city of Dublin was saturated in drugs. Supplied by major crime heads, local gangs kept a steady supply of heroin and cocaine flowing into their neighborhoods. Usage was so rampant that children in the street were literally playing with the discarded paraphernalia left by addicts. 

Irish law enforcement seemed unable, or maybe just simply unwilling, to do anything about the epidemic.  Veronica Guerin (played by Cate Blanchett), a high profile reporter for the Sunday Independent, was shocked to realize just how very little was being done about the problem.  She decided to take on the problem herself and deal with it the only way she knew how; by exposing it.  Risking the safety of herself and her family, she launched a mission to climb up the hierarchy of the drug world and publish the names of those made most wealthy by the illegal trafficking.  Her eventual assassination shocked the nation and turned her into a martyr for drug control in Ireland.

A low budget biopic about an Irish journalism icon may seem to be an odd choice for mega-producer Jerry Bruckheimer. This is the man responsible for such massive productions as The Rock, Top Gun, and Black Hawk Down. One of the consistent themes in his filmography is that one person can make a difference in the world. This motif has been most predominantly displayed in his Dangerous Minds and Remember the Titans. 

So when the story of Guerin’s life and death was brought to his attention, it understandably caught his eye. Bruckheimer started researching the story; digging out old newspaper articles, television reports, books and novels, and even hired writer Carol Doyle to interview the politicians and criminals that were acquainted with her. Deciding on a director for his pet project was easy. Bruckheimer went to Joel Schumacher, who had worked with Bruckheimer on the pitiful Bad Company, because of his amazing work on Tigerland.  Schumacher offered an independent intensity and raw emotion that the story of Veronica Guerin deserved.

Veronica Guerin was shot entirely on location in Dublin and, with the exception of Schumacher, Bruckheimer, and Cate Blanchett, with an entirely Irish cast.  Sadly, the picture never really found an audience in the U.S., but was a tremendous hit in Ireland. It has been reported that one out of ever four people in the country has seen it, making it one of their highest grossing films of all time.  Ultimately it’s a well made film, with a compelling story, but overly saturated with sentimentality. It’s worth a watch, but maybe only one.

Budget:  $17,000,000

Total US Gross:  $1,569,918

Genre: Drama

Runtime: 92 Minutes

US Release Date: 10/17/03

Aspect Ratio:  2.35:1

Awards:  Golden Globes:  Nominated for best actress in a drama.

Tagline: Why Would Anyone Want To Kill Veronica Guerin?

Quote: “If I was to be intimidated, that means they’ve won. And they’re not going to win.”