“Nothing But the Truth”

My tweet: Nothing but the Truth-Reporter Kate Beckinsale outs a CIA agent and is jailed for not revealing her source. Like that would ever happen. 7.5 (out of 10) Well, it actually happened. But not the way it does in this “ripped from the headlines” political/courtroom drama. Inspired by the real story of Judith Miller, the New York Times reporter who spent three months in jail for refusing to reveal the source of a CIA leak, Rod Lurie, the maker of political dramas like “The Contender” spins a much larger story. Reporter Rachel Armstrong (Kate Beckinsale) spends more than a year in jail as each of her attorney’s (Alan Alda, who seems to be making a career of playing high-powered lawyers) legal manuevers is deftly blocked by the government’s special prosecutor (Matt Dillion). In the meantime, lives fall apart for now-exposed CIA operative Erica Van Doren (Vera Farmiga) and Armstrong herself, as her husband (David Schwimmer, who seems to be getting whinier with each performance) deserts her and her cause. While there are high-minded questions about principle and motive in “Nothing But the Truth,” the identity of the source is the real question we want answered. So after a few plot twists and teases, you’ll learn where Armstrong got her tip. And it’s not a source I would have ever considered. So maybe it’s possible that Scooter Libby wasn’t the one who outed Valerie Plame.

“Nothing But the Truth”

Released: 2008

Rating: R

Length: 107 minutes

Cast: Kate Beckinsale, Matt Dillon, Vera Farmiga, Alan Alda, David Schwimmer

Director: Rod Lurie

Genre(s): Drama, Thriller