Winner

by Mike McGranaghan

Did the American public have a right to know that Russia was making efforts to interfere in the 2016 presidential election? Reality Winner thought so. That’s why the Air Force veteran-turned-NSA contractor leaked a document to the press proving such interference was taking place, even as the official word was that none had been discovered. She spent five years and three months in federal prison for that act – the longest sentence anyone has ever received for leaking classified documents. Director Susanna Fogel (The Spy Who Dumped Me) tells the story with a dark comedic edge in Winner, leaving no doubt which side she’s on.

Emilia Jones (CODA) plays Winner as a firebrand whose political beliefs were formed in large part by her father Ron (Zach Galifianakis). Whether she’s translating covertly recorded phone conversations between suspected terrorists or trying to care for a mistreated dog in town, Reality never fails to act according to her strong moral code, consequences be damned. After discharging from the Air Force and starting work for the NSA, she finds herself unable to sit by idly upon sneaking a peek at a computer file filled with information about Russia. Jones is never less than 100% credible in conveying the young woman’s rebellious streak. She’s excellent.

Winner’s tone reminded me of the one possessed by I, Tonya, where serious events are portrayed but the eccentricities of the characters provide an undercurrent of humor. In this case, the approach aims to comment upon what Fogel and co-writer Kerry Howley (on whose article the film is based) clearly view as the absurd persecution of Reality Winner. Her belief in truth is comically contrasted with the desire of the government to withhold information. It’s a David-and-Goliath story where David knocks Goliath down, only to have Goliath get back up and stomp on him. Wherever you land on what Winner did, the depiction of a single individual creating so much chaos is entertaining.

A significant portion of the movie is devoted to Reality’s relationships with her mom Billie (Connie Britton), sister Brittany (Kathryn Newton), and boyfriend Andre (Danny Ramirez). Each of them has their own attitude toward her defiant personality. On the surface, the interactions between them may seem irrelevant to the plot at hand; I think they go a long way toward helping us understand Reality’s mindset. Rubbing others the wrong way is not new to her, so the thought of exposing classified intel to the world isn’t as daunting as it might be to you and me.

This material could lend itself to a dramatic treatment that seeks to say something insightful about what it means when the government lies to its own people. Winner isn’t quite that movie. Instead, it’s a character study of a woman who did what she thought was right and got punished for it. The performances are strong, especially Jones’s, the dialogue is witty and intelligent, and the true story being told is certainly compelling. You don’t necessarily walk away with big thoughts. You are, however, left feeling empathy toward Reality Winner and wondering why so much effort was expended chastising her for caring about the integrity of our elections.

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