CONSPIRATOR, THE

Robert Redford's newly formed "American Film Company" is dedicated to making historically accurate films with their founding belief that real life is often more compelling than fiction. Firstly that's a statement I disagree with. Secondly I am apprehensive about their intentions. Redford's previous movie "Lions For Lambs" was a disgustingly blatant piece of propaganda which shamefully warped facts about the war in Afghanistan... and so I have lost trust in him. The Conspirator is his latest film which presents the trial of Mary Surratt as a conspirator to the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. It's a legal film which explores the American constitution and what it means to a turbulent nation which has just come out of a civil war. The story is definitely compelling and from what I have read on the subject, it is indeed accurate... for the most part. In fact when reading about it there is a lot of detail left out of this film which would have been an enthralling addition. Anyhow perhaps this new film company's biggest mistake was to boldly declare that fact romps fiction because The Conspirator is a film which uses all of the typical cinematic trickery to hold its audience. Suspense, humour, shock and empathy... and so there is an obvious break from "fact" when liberties are taken to tell the story. Of course this is unavoidable and I enjoy a heightened story... I just had a problem with this mob posing so self-righteously. A good film nonetheless.

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