Chasing the Dragon: The Veronica Guerin Story

Veronica Guerin

source: Chasing the Dragon: The Veronica Guerin Story

The title gives little away to those like me who had forgotten recent Irish history. I thought this might be a bleak tale from the 1920s so I was very pleasantly surprised by Veronica Guerin. Cate Blanchett was perfectly cast in the lead role and the Irish actors who took all other roles gave real and often gritty performances. I do not enjoy on screen violence or depressing story lines so the sensitive treatment of this modern Irish heroine's story was inspiring. There are moments that shock but they are in keeping with this amazing true story. I also found the bonus features on the DVD (yes, I skipped it at the Box Office) added a great deal, satisfying the interest raised by the film. I was hooked from the opening minutes.

I don't know much about Guerins true persona but If this film and blanchet's portrayal of her is a true representation then it's not surprising she met an early grave. She comes across as arrogant, smug, snobby, pretentious and very unlikeable. Now to her traits as a journalist, she is reckless, idiotic, selfish and rude; exactly the type of person nobody from either side, be it, the gardaí or the drug dealers would divulge any information to, some of the worst possible characteristics a journalist should have which leads me to believe the film makers have let this person and their family down. Or maybe she was all of this? Which would explain her fate. Anyway, a tough watch in so many ways, best avoided.

Wow! How did I miss this film from its 2003 release and such a great acting performance (another one!) from Kate Blanchett! I am English but I had never heard of Veronica Guerrin until I watched this movie. Now I certainly do and understand well and also about the dubious underworld which was operating at the time in Dublin. this a fine intense and fascinating movie from beginning to end, it is well directed, good dialogues, yes, strong and brutal stuff at times but nothing offensive and it certainly gets the message across! Was Veronica Guerrin gullible and slightly naive, can we only wonder? I love the film for how they connected the beginning with the ending. The ending was one of the best ends to a film which I have seen in a while, so much good about this movie, Blanchetts ability to deliver a quality performance in a character portrayal is amazing and outstanding.

The movie was fine, I had no issues with it. I just didn't like the Veronica Guerin person. Cate Blanchett is a great actress, I have no problem with her. I just thought Veronica Guerin as depicted as probably as bad a person as the drug dealers were portrayed to be. In another life, she probably would eagerly have gotten into that trade. I feel like the director really didn't like her either considering the depiction of her numerous speeding and parking tickets showed that she was an anti-social person who had contempt for the rules of society. So there it is, well done, a movie that actually makes you cheer for the drug dealers. Unbelievable. I mean, can we also discuss how stupid Veronica was? The end of the movie was just like, wow, how naive and arrogant was she?

This film has so much going for it. It highlights the work of the real Veronica Guerin, who effectively gave her life for a good cause. Cate Blanchett depicted a heroic woman, in far from a saccharine way. For several scenes I kept wanting to shout, "you idiot, why are you doing this"? when she got herself into more trouble. The film isn't afraid to show her being less than perfect when it came to the people who loved her. But I still walked away thinking her an incredible person. In fact the film, in one scene, implies she's a martyr, and I didn't disagree with this view. The film depicts Ireland as far from the affable, gentle green land of cliché. The criminals are highly organised, ruthless, unstoppable thugs. Which was chilling, but it rang true.

This review contains spoilers. Veronica Guerin is a 2003 biographical movie based on the person of the same name. The movie tells the tale of an investigative reporter that digs close to the drug trade of Dublin, Ireland and in the process causes herself to be targeted by drug barons. Veronica Guerin is a slow biographical movie. At 98 minutes of running time, the movie does tell its tale of Veronica Guerin decently enough with some dramatization. The storytelling has issues. Part of this occurs because of the pacing and the messy storytelling. The story of Veronica Guerin is a simple tale. However the movie feels as if it is stretching this out. Cate Blanchett as Veronica Guerin is great. She does a good job in the leading role and the audience does come to understand her as a character. However this is not enough to save the movie from its messy direction and storytelling. I would not recommend "Veronica Guerin". Grade: D.

1) If you fight crime, you die. So what should we do? 2) Veronica Guerin was a good reporter. I wish her RIP. But in these days, majority of medium are self-serving and corrupted. 3) If the government and the police don't care to fight crime, you leave the country!

Veronica Guerin begins where it ends, which ought to deprive the film of much of its tension. Nevertheless, it works wonderfully in this case -- in large part because Cate Blanchett is unbelievably good in the title role, and her supporting cast is excellent. Then there's the Dublin scenery, photographed with loving attention both to the small details and the sweeping scenes of the city. And finally, there is the haunting music which reaches the level of high art in the final scenes showing Veronica Guerin's funeral. It is an altogether moving film which deserved even greater praise than it was accorded by the critics. Although she has lots of competition among younger film stars, Cate Blanchett is not only beautiful, she is capable of investing herself in the character so that it isn't just "Cate Blanchett" in another guise. She is an actress of considerable talent.