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'Dark Waters' Review—A Tense Thriller

No spoilers!

By Jonathan SimPublished 4 years ago 3 min read
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Can we just add this film along with Spotlight to the genre of movies starring Mark Ruffalo exposing people who knew things and let it happen? Because so far, it's been a great genre.

Here we go!

Dark Waters is a legal thriller written by Mario Correa and Matthew Michael Carnahan and directed by Todd Haynes. The film is based on the true story of Robert Bilott, an attorney who uncovered a conspiracy linked to a corporation named DuPont and decided to expose them for their lies.

I watched this in New York City, and Mark Ruffalo came out after the movie and did a Q&A after the show, and I got to see him. Don't believe me? Look at my horrible-quality picture of him below!

Yeah. You wish you saw it with me, don't you?

But anyway, this is a very well-written, tense film that does a fantastic job of showing the real-life story of Bilott and this massive conspiracy that DuPont was trying to hide.

The film's story is told in a very interesting way. While some narrative films based on real-life events are simply dramas that play out the events in a straightforward way, this film's writing and direction have a unique style that makes it more interesting.

Dark Waters is a gripping, well-paced thriller that continuously gets more shocking and interesting as certain events unfold. The film is directed a bit like a horror film, but as the horrors portrayed in the movie are a real story, it adds to the intrigue of the film's story.

Mark Ruffalo gives one of the best performances in his career in this film. While many have come to associate his likeness with Bruce Banner in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (don't get me wrong, I love him as Bruce too), he does a fantastic job of showcasing his ability for dramatic acting in this movie.

This is a very subdued performance, and he seems so natural in this role that even though I knew I attended that screening to see the actor, I forgot that I was watching an actor because of how well he performs his scenes.

During the first half of the film, I felt like this movie was wasting Anne Hathaway's talent as her character felt very one-dimensional and minor, but towards the end of the film, as the events become darker and her husband becomes more and more obsessed, Hathaway's talent really shines in some very well-written scenes.

Certain scenes in the film have some incredible dialogue, and Bilott's lines do a fantastic job with showing the direness of the situation he was in and the scale of the conspiracy that he was uncovering. It was riveting from start to finish and it was a very interesting story.

My only issues with the film are the fact that despite the fact that the film takes place over the course of many years, Ruffalo and Hathaway do not age at all, and the pacing of the film does not always work.

It also may not be as memorable, nor does it stand out as much as Ruffalo's other "true story" films such as Zodiac and Spotlight. This film is a bit more bland than those films, but overall, this is a very well-written, well-directed thriller that does a fantastic job of showing this very pressing story.

I'm gonna give 'Dark Waters' a 9/10 (A-).

Now, if this movie is playing in a theater near you, I highly recommend it. The conspiracy depicted in the film has had shocking effects on many people, and its effects have lasted till today.

As a matter of fact, you, the person reading this right now, likely have the chemical DuPont was covering up inside you, and I likely have it as well. If you like a good thriller with some great performances based on true stories, watch this film.

Thank you for reading.

movie review
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About the Creator

Jonathan Sim

Film critic. Lover of Pixar, Harry Potter, Star Wars, Marvel, DC, Back to the Future, and Lord of the Rings.

For business inquiries: [email protected]

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