Christmas love meets an espionage thriller in Netflix’s new highly acclaimed series, Black Doves, and Keira Knightley‘s Helen is at the heart of this web of lies. But this isn’t the first time Knightley has been involved in a world of secrets and spies, as she plays a real-life whistle-blower in Official Secrets. Though it is a thriller, Gavin Hood‘s 2019 film is much more sobering than Black Doves and is based on the true story of Katharine Gun, who actually went up against the British government. Like in Black Doves, Knightley’s character balances her relationship with the weight of information on her shoulders while also dealing with emotional turmoil and indecisiveness throughout the entire runtime.
‘Official Secrets’ Is a Thriller Based on a True Story
When people think of spy thrillers, the names James Bond or Jason Bourne undoubtedly come to mind; unfortunately, real life isn’t quite filled with that much excitement. Official Secrets shows us how debilitating doing the right thing can be, as it chronicles the real events a British whistle-blower had to deal with. Gun is a translator working for the British security service who is sent a compromising email from the U.S. during the run-up to the Iraq War. It involved finding incriminating information on the personal lives of smaller nations to blackmail them into voting for the conflict in Iraq, and aghast, Gun teams up with her anti-war friend and manages to get it published in the Observer newspaper (via the Guardian).
We already know how real life turns out: the war in Iraq does in fact occur in real life. Hence, undercurrents of hopelessness pervade the film and Gun’s actions, as her best efforts seem pointless in hindsight. However, the film goes on to portray the devastating impact her actions had on her own life, as she is prosecuted under the Official Secrets Act. Despite the futility of her efforts, these events have become a significant touchstone in history.
Keira Knightley Is a Whistleblower in ‘Official Secrets’
Knightley is at the center of Official Secrets, delivering a focused and taut performance that amplifies the inherent pathos of the events. She easily slips into the ideal portrayal of a whistleblower: young, idealistic, strong-willed, and ready to change the world. She makes it believable that her character would dare confront the government, but her strength is really shown when the country threatens to deport her husband. Knightley walks a tightrope of indecision and doubt, as Gun’s sense of righteousness is clouded by her love for her husband — making it easy to empathize with her at every step.
When the news hits the papers, and she is tried for violating the Official Secrets law, the ensuing court case riles up this palpable tension. With Matt Smith as the journalist who initially wrote her article, Ralph Fiennes as her defender, and Jeremy Northam as her prosecutor, Knightley is surrounded by a talented cast that contributes to the underlying sincerity and gritty reality of the film. The courtroom becomes a hive for buzzing reporters, twisted truths, and bickering lawyers, as relationships are steadily corroded while a pale-faced Gun’s fate is hanging on the line.
‘Official Secrets’ Highlights a Historic Political Touchstone
Despite Gun’s lack of success in curtailing the war, she did have an unanticipated impact on the sociopolitical environment of the nation. In an interview with the Guardian, Knightly recalls how, during the lead-up to the Iraq War, her generation “had been really politically engaged.” Though many people did not know of Gun’s story, her actions catalyzed a social shift where people became more aware and critical of media, propaganda, and government officials, specifically for that generation. Between the anti-war marches in London at the time and Gun’s court case, the government had not been scrutinized more, a sentiment that is prevalent these days.
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As such, despite the dismal outcome and personal cost, Gun’s story deserves to be memorialized in Official Secrets, as her resilience and determination are the inspiring principles of standing up to corruption. The film certainly does her justice, as it avoids sensationalism and delivers a harrowing and realistic outlook on a whistleblower thriller. Knightley becomes a core part of upholding Gun’s memory, as she gives equal weight to the whistleblower’s human experience and the decisions that make up a historical touchstone.
Official Secrets is available to stream on AMC+ in the U.S.
- Release Date
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August 30, 2019
- Cast
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Keira Knightley
, Matt Smith
, Ralph Fiennes
, Adam Bakri
, Matthew Goode
, Rhys Ifans
, Indira Varma
, John Heffernan
, Conleth Hill
, Jack Farthing
, MyAnna Buring
, Peter Guinness
, Chris Reilly
, Shaun Dooley
, Ray Panthaki
, Chris Larkin
, Monica Dolan
, Clive Francis
, Tamsin Greig
, Hattie Morahan
, Kenneth Cranham
WATCH ON AMC+
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