The Whistleblower

The Whistleblower

If the name of this film makes you think of corporate thrillers and David vs Goliath stories of triumph like Erin Brockovich or The Insider, think again.

The Whistleblower, directed by Larysa Kondracki and written by Kondracki and Eilis Kirwan, is a dark, dark tale of institutionalised sex-trafficking and one woman's attempt to stop it. Like Erin Brockovich, The Whistleblower is based on a true story but in this one the triumphs are small. I had a stronger feeling of dread and foreboding than the intrigue and elation that I usually associate with thrillers. If you're looking for a label for it, I'd call The Whistleblower a docuhorror.

Script-wise The Whistleblower is good. Kathy, the central character is likeable and noble but still complicated and flawed. Rachel Weisz gives a magnificent performance. We get to know the victims of the abuse enough to care but not so much as to detract from Kathy's story. The plot twists and turns and drives forward beautifully. The ending is, well, as satisfying as real life can be.

Despite having all the elements, in the preview session I went to a number of people walked out of the cinema. It mostly coincided with the graphic scenes of sexual torture and violence but I heard several people complain about the camera-work too. It wasn't just the subject matter that was dark. I found it difficult to see what was going on in most scenes. I appreciate that it fits thematically to have a general vibe of darkness but, come on, you've got to be able to see what the characters can see, at least some of the time.

The Whistleblower will polarise people. It will be some people's favorite film ever and others will hate it. True story, a woman walking the talk, subtitles, arty aesthetic;  I liked it quite a lot.