MovieChat Forums > Veronica Guerin (2003) Discussion > what a total piece of unbridled sh!t

what a total piece of unbridled sh!t


i saw this at the toronto film festival. i was sharing box seats with one of the investors and the dude fell asleep - during his own movie!

this film fails spectacularly in all areas. it's alarmingly, stunningly flat for the actually interesting real-life events on which it is based. joel schumacher solidifies his rep as one of the biggest hacks working in hollywood today. first he puts nipples on the batman suit, now this. leave it to schumacher to reduce the normally brilliant cate blanchett to a laughworthy one-dimensional feminist stereotype. the real veronica guerin deserves a better tribute that this absolute waste of two hours of my life that i will never get back.

blanchett does not come off as a real person in this film. you don't buy it for a second. she essentially plays a nancy drew character. in fact, a better, more-to-the-point title for this film would have been "nancy drew gets shot".

bruckheimer certainly buried this embarrassment as fast as he could. when it failed to make a dime at the box office, what with the oscar campaigning and everything, it seems like he just removed it from his resume. he was ranked #1 on EW's 2003 power list and the blurb about his fantastic year didn't even mention this waste of film.

easily one of the worst of 2003. and 2002. and 2004. with flying colors.

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what the hell...it was not. I loved this film..

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u make me so sick dgpetrie, ur talking about the movie like its a piece of *beep* & you are completly being disrespectful...this is a true story for christ sake! think of her husband sister brother mum & her 6 year old son at the time. She s gonna miss his wedding , she missed his first day of high school...she was only 1 year older than my mum when she was murdered so horrible...and all you guys can say is that this movie has lack of detail? Veronica is a hero in my view of her, she cared about the world & made it a better place...its still happening but if it wasnt for her than no one would even bother to care...the movie freaked me out and i was scared to know that this was happening in real life!...in our society! I feel soooooo much for her family I really do! and im glad that thoose assholes payed...but they all should have got the death penalty. Our law system is so unjust and not fair!

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[deleted]

I don't seem to understand why everyone dislikes this film so much. I wouldn't say that Joel Schumacher is a "hack", but rather that he is not the most talented or most versatile director out there. However, I thought that Veronica Guerin will be one of his only gems. As for why Jerry Bruckheimer seems to be ashamed of this film (I don't think he is, but whatever) could be because all his life he's been producing mindless *beep* like Kangaroo Jack, Bad Boys II, Bad Company, Pearl Harbor, and so on, that he's convinced himself that only twelve year old boys go to the cinema, instead of people who have the intelligence to understand more complicated films.


____________________
A Devoted Cate Blanchett fan

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Here here wonder_woman! I have never agreed more! allthough I'm not sure about the death penalty, I've read a lot about those criminals, and as bad as they were, I'm against the death penalty. It was awful at the short sentences some of them got though!!
I'm sick of seeing so many bad reviews for this film!! Allthough on some sites I've seen 70 or 80% good ones.
Cate Blanchett is a brilliant actress and she really does an excellent job as Veronica Guerin!
Are people turning to hearts of stone? Looking for any tiny details of a film to complain about!? The acting was brilliant, so was the soundtrack, and OK so there wasn't much special effects, but they weren't needed!
Are the people who hate this film Irish? I certainly hope not, most would be crying at the end of it, not saying it was the worst film of 2003!! I don't care what anyone says, it was a brilliant film.
If maybe you knew more about Veronica Guerin herself you would like it better? She was an amazing person, and I think this film did well to honour her memory.
Even her brother, Jimmy Guerin, said himself (On special features DVD) That they were really commited, Jerry, Joel, and Cate, to making a good film, more as a tribute to Veronica than a commercialy sucessfull venture.
Critics can rant and rave, but if you haven't seen it, don't heed them!
Watch this film and it will touch your heart.

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Thank you wonder woman! I feel I have finally found someone intelligent on this board.

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[deleted]


When you have a child your life is no longer your own, you have a responsibility to your child. I lost all respect for her when she put her child's and family's life in danger. The bullet through the window in her house could have killed a family member. She was warned if she continued something would happen to her son.

If someone wants to risk their life OK, but when your actions put your family in danger I have no respect nor sympathy for you.

Her son was never asked if he was willing to risk being kidnapped and buggered

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At times she was foolhardy, but never inadmirable


... She had a child - her family should have taken precedent over her career...







When you've exhausted all options, even the impossible starts to look feasible...

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Children shouldn't be a woman's whole life any more than they should be the father's whole life.

Guerin's crusade was bigger than her family.







"Joey, have you ever been in a Turkish prison?"

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I'm not saying they should be anyone's whole life - but to my mind, the people one cares for are always more important than careers.

Nothing should be bigger to individuals than personal relationships... On a global scale, yes of course, but not intimately.






"Your mother puts license plates in your underwear? How do you sit?!"

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Well then police, firefighters, soldiers etc that put their lives in danger should just give up if they have children then.

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No, because you accept that risk when you take on the job... Journalism is different, because there is no inherent danger in carrying it out effectively.






"Your mother puts license plates in your underwear? How do you sit?!"

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There is one thing though, no matter what film you're talking about, go to any of the imdb boards and you'll see a thread saying the film was crap.
I suppose 'Veronica Guerin' isn't exempt from it...


Brevior saltare cum deformibus viris est vita!

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and you are easily one of the most arrogant individuals who ever critiqued a movie cate blanchett should have won an acadamy award for this movie whether you liked it or not . and ciaran hinds should have won and oscar for best supporting actor for trainor and the movie over all should have won best picture against whatever crap won that year

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You ought to be ashamed of yourself! If you really knew anything at al about this woman and the great work she did fighting Ireland's drugs problem you'd realise how unbelievably inaccurate and incredibly shallow your comments are. Cate Blanchett should be commended for bringing back to life this extraordinary woman. You clearly have no idea what Veronica was like or how Irish society works or you would not make suhc henious comments. Have some respect!Blanchett's preformance was so accurate that even Veronica's own family said it was like watching her again. Please have some sense and only comment when you know what you're talking about!

Jacqueline Lee Bouvier Kennedy

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As someone who wants to be a journalist(and is from Ireland), this film scared the byjasus out of me.I was very moved by how brave Veronica was and that she didn't back down even after all the threats and the shooting, I actually found myself wanting to yell "move" at the screen when I saw the motorbike coming up behind it.It was very well-acted and an all around good movie.

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I can't believe that someone hated this movie!
What was there no special effects? Is that why you don't like it? No big BOOMS to get your heart pumping?
My God, the film didn't need it. It made your heart bleed
And how dare you claim the acting was flat!
It was a very moving movie and it showed how this brave woman helped change history!


Not all who wander are lost... JRR Tolkein

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this movie is really good, dont listen to the poster

I was Raped

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Cate Blanchett was amazing.

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I can't say I loved this movie. It isn't really my normal kind of movie, I got it because I was over charged for some movies and instead of getting money back, I opted to get another couple of movies, this looked interesting. So, that's my sad story. Anyways, even though I didn't love it, I will say it is a very good movie objectively speaking. I had never heard of this until I picked up the DVD to see what it was about. If I was to rate the movie on acting alone I would say it was flawless. Cate's accent was amazing, I don't know how people in Ireland rate it, but she sounded convincing to me. I won't comment on the directing, but I will hazzard a guess and say it could have been done better. I would have used more lively music in places. One small gripe is this took place over a two year period and even though they said it was a two year period, the action seemed to take place over a much shorter time frame. The reason it is a gripe is because it makes Veronica's actions look a lot more reckless than they were. If I had been shot and beaten and threatened in a short time, I would have been a lot more precautious. But, heck you get shot and maybe months later beaten, you might let your guard down after a year or so.

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I'll jump in here and agree with the OP. I couldn't put my finger on why this movie fell flat until I read his post. I think he got it exactly right when he said that Blanchett didn't come off as a real person in this film, but is playing a Nancy Drew character. I too didn't buy that a mother would pursue this story this way to the possible orphaning of her young child.

Now, let's not let the truth stand in the way of making a movie. Maybe the real Veronica Guerin was just as portrayed, and didn't really care about her son becoming motherless. That may be so. But that doesn't make me compelled to want to hear her story. As portrayed, she showed practically no warmth to her own family. As a result, her death doesn't become a major tragedy to me.

It would have been a better movie if they didn't portray her as such a cold heartless b!tch. Now, that might not have been the truth, but I don't expect the truth from movies. I want to be entertained.

Okay, go ahead, flame away.




I asked the doctor to take your picture so I can look at you from inside as well.

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SHE WAS A RAT BITCH WHO GOT WHAT SHE FECKIN DESERVED END OFF.
SHE HAD A NASTY HABIT OF MAKING SH IT UP IN THAT PAPER SHE WORKED
FOR, GO ASK GERRY HUTCH IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE ME. YOU THINKS AFTER THE
FIRST SHOOTING THE DUMB BI-TCH WOULD HAVE WALKED AWAY, BUT NO SHE HAD
TO ENDANGER THOSE AROUND TO FEED HER EGO THE SKANK.

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"SHE WAS A RAT... " etc

You're a sad man. Do you think that people will take more notice of what you think because you write it in capitals? It makes you look like a moron.



We'll probably be found dead in here next spring

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Eamon is an infant, as is the OP. Don't waste a second of your life paying any attention whatsoever to these two violent twits and their puny, little heads.

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"Eamon is an infant, as is the OP"

Clearly!



We'll probably be found dead in here next spring

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Jgroub your post is one the best I've found on here (amongst all the name calling and abuse) concerning this movie. Naturally your post is great because to a large extent I agree with you!

Judging this as a movie alone it is not very good, it certainly is not endearing to its audience.

Guerin, who would suppose to presented sympathetically as the victim appears brash, cold and stubborn and I to cared little when she got shot, she had it coming judging by her actions. The real victims were her husband, mother and of course child.

Guerin came across as the stereotypical headstrong Journalist with little sensitivity. In most films that tell similar stories the 'victim' is often portrayed an innocent person dying heroically, but Guerin is not shown that way, people going to see the film may have expected that though!

Her colleagues criticising her in the pub behind her back was very interesting.

Was the protrayal too real? Was Guerin deliberately portrayed as cold and heartless? If so then this is why is was not a commercially successful film. Perhaps the Director just screwed up the protrayal and wanted to show her as loving and caring, I wonder.

Either way as a result of this movie I've no sympathy for Journalists or drug pushers. To sit and watch the harsh truth or to be entertained? Hmmm

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You say

I don't expect the truth from movies. I want to be entertained.
. The first five words in the story line description are
Based on a true story
, you shouldn't even watch this movie. Maybe you saw as advertisement on TV about this movie, I am sure somewhere in the ad it said
Based on a true story
don't watch the movie if
I don't expect the truth from movies. I want to be entertained.
Maybe you watched this movie at the theater, one of the employees could tell you if, this movie is
Based on a true story
, then you would not have to watch this movie.



I have 2 sets of twin boys, Pete & Repete and Mark & Remarkable

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OP: I agree with you a 100%. I watched it because of Cate Blanchett, and this is no way near her best perfomance. I didn't care for her character at all, but found her VERY irritating and one dimensional, so all the dramatic music and tribute in the end didn't touch me.
I dislike Shumacher too, but that's mostly because of Batman & Robin... And now this.

Seriously people, dgpetrie is obviously not hating on the real Veronica Guerin (neither am I), but the portrayel of her and the execution of this movie.

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Honestly, I thought the portrayal was flawless, and rather realistic.. as for those of you who keep complaining about how stupid it was for her to be willing to leave a child motherless.. well honestly.. I realize I will probably get flamed for saying this, but remember the quote "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." She was in a unique position to hurt them, and focusing on a story nobody else seemed to care about, had she NOT done anything, I would say that might have been a bigger crime than putting her own life in jeopardy.

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