The Report
Senate staffer investigates CIA torture program post-9/11
The brief
Scott Z. Burns turns what could have been a dry procedural into a tense, infuriating thriller about bureaucratic obstruction and moral courage. Adam Driver anchors the film with his trademark intensity, playing Senate investigator Daniel Jones like a man slowly losing his mind while uncovering horrific truths that powerful people desperately want buried. The pacing feels deliberate and methodical, mirroring the exhausting, years-long investigation itself, but Driver's quiet fury keeps you locked in even when you're drowning in redacted documents. Perfect for anyone who loved Spotlight or All the President's Men and doesn't mind feeling absolutely livid about government cover-ups.
The verdict
If you're drawn to methodical political thrillers like Spotlight and can handle slow-burn investigations that will make you furious at government corruption, this is essential viewing thanks to Adam Driver's intense performance. If you need fast-paced entertainment or prefer to avoid depressing real-world bureaucratic nightmares, skip this deliberate procedural that prioritizes righteous anger over thrills.
Watch with
- 👤 Solo viewing for focused attention to complex details
- 👥 Friends who enjoy political thrillers and can discuss afterwards
- ⚠️ Avoid with those sensitive to torture discussions
Heads up
- Detailed discussions of torture and enhanced interrogation (frequent)
- Psychological distress from government cover-up themes (moderate)
- Brief depictions of prisoner abuse (brief)
Credits
- Director
- Scott Z. Burns
- Cast
- Adam Driver, Annette Bening, Jon Hamm, Sarah Goldberg, Michael C. Hall, Douglas Hodge, Fajer Al-Kaisi
Official synopsis
The story of Daniel Jones, lead investigator for the US Senate’s sweeping study into the CIA's Detention and
The Double
Make a night of it
Pair this with Hotel Rwanda (2004)
Both expose institutional cover-ups of brutal government-sanctioned human rights atrocities.
Total runtime: 1h 59m + 2h 02m = 4h 1m
