A Reel Opinion: The Top 10 Best Journalism Films

When the Founding Fathers conceptualized and wrote the Constitution, the freedom of the press was one of the first things to go in. For over 200 years, and even longer in other parts of the world, the press has had the immense responsibility to inform and educate…and along the way they have taken down the corrupt, stood up for those who can’t stand for themselves, and has served as the basis for the history books. 

On the surface, it doesn’t seem like a movie about people banging away on typewriters or running around with little notebooks would be very compelling cinema. But the truth is the role journalism has played in the world has provided just as many underdog stories as sports has. It’s the ultimate David and Goliath, with the stakes and the odds immensely stacked against those little notebooks. But the genre has taken on other shapes and forms, exploring journalistic ethics and responsibility. And with that, comes Reel Speak’s Top 10 Journalism Films; the movies that told those stories the best. 

So, stop the presses…

10. STATE OF PLAY (2009)

The story of the media exposing corrupt politicians is almost as old as the news business itself, and Kevin Macdonald’s thriller found fresh, new angles. Russell Crowe plays a seasoned newspaper reporter who investigates the death of a congressman’s mistress; a congressman that happens to be a friend. The film explores the relationship between politicians and the press, and the importance of media outlets needing to stand on their own. There is also the angle of veteran newspaper men having to work with new writers called Bloggers. 

9. BROADCAST NEWS (1987)

Holly Hunter leads the way as an emotional, yet rock-steady news producer in this one-half drama, one-half satire about the TV news business. Most of its time is spent on a love triangle between Hunter’s character and competing newsmen as played by William Hurt and Albert Brooks, but it does great work in showing the behind the scenes stress of putting a live news broadcast on the air. The balance between drama and humor is excellent; a screaming-match between Hunter and Brooks is hair-raising, while a disastrous newscast due to sweating a hilarious bit. A multiple Oscar nominee that has a lot going on but keeps it many storylines organized about the people that make TV work. 

8. ACE IN THE HOLE (1951)

The great Billy Wilder directs this morality tale about a newspaper reporter, as played by Kirk Douglas, who arranges for the rescue of a trapped man to be prolonged so he can milk the story for all its worth. Although somewhat dated, ACE IN THE HOLE has a lot for any journalistic ethics class to examine and debate; starting with the influence the media can have over the public, and the obvious lack of morals reporters can have when desperate for a lead story. But in the end, the truth does prevail; showing that everything always come out in the wash. 

7. THE INSIDER (1999)

The year before Russell Crowe won an Oscar for playing Maximus in GLADIATOR, he was nominated for his role as a biochemist who works with a CBS producer (Al Pacino), to get the story out on a cigarette manufacturer adding chemicals to make their product more addictive. Most of its time is spent with Crowe’s character grappling with the moral and ethical decision of breaking his confidentiality agreement with the company he’s about to take down, but it eventually gets to media responsibility; Pacino’s line of “are you a newsman, or a businessman” to his reluctant bosses rings long and hard. Directed by Michael Mann and co-stars Christopher Plummer as CBS legend Mike Wallace. 

6. SHATTERED GLASS (2003)

Before Hayden Christiansen became Darth Vader, he turned in an acclaimed role of Stephen Glass, a journalist who was exposed for fabricating stories. This true-story drama is cautionary tale about what happens when the media goes bad, but it’s not an indictment against the profession; because it’s good reporting that eventually exposes Glass’ lies. 

5. THE PAPER (1994)

Ron Howard’s comedy-drama about a small NYC paper rushing to get a murder story right. An ensemble cast of Michael Keaton, Glenn Close, Marisa Tomei, Randy Quaid, Robert Duvall, Jason Robards, Jason Alexander, and Catherine O’Hara bring to life the struggles and triumphs of the people who bring newspapers to print, and the importance of getting a story right. 

4. CITIZEN KANE (1941)

Orson Welles’ monumental classic about the life and legacy of newspaper giant Charles Foster Kane. Regarded as one of the greatest films ever made, the only reason it doesn’t rank higher on this list is that it doesn’t have a whole lot of actual journalism in it. But the film is a work of journalism itself…with a reporter doing the work to discover what made Kane the man he was. 

3. SPOTLIGHT (2015)

Tom McCarthy directs this Best Picture winner about The Boston Globe Spotlight investigative reporting team, who blew the lid off years of child sexual abuse cover-up by the Boston Archdiocese. Another true-story, SPOTLIGHT plays out as a procedural, taking us down to the streets of Boston as its seasoned reporters and editors, wonderfully played by Michael Keaton, Mark Ruffalo, Racheal McAdams, Liev Schreiber, Brian d’Arcy, and John Slattery, take the necessary and tedious steps to take down Goliath. Its greatest strength is showing us what it takes to piece together a story, and its powerful ending shows the impact it can have on a city…and the world. 

2. GOOD NIGHT AND GOOD LUCK (2005) 

George Clooney directs and co-stars in this true-story, period-drama about broadcast legend Edward R. Murrow and his role in bringing down Senator Joe McCarthy, whose lies and bullying tactics spread fear across America in the 1950’s. David Strathairn rightfully won an Oscar for his stunning portrayal of Murrow, who takes television news, which was in its infancy at the time, into a brave new world by showing just how critical it can be in exposing the corrupt…if it has the courage to do so. Shot in glorious black-and-white and including archival footage of McCarthy, GOOD NIGHT AND GOOD LUCK is required viewing for any aspiring journalism student. 

1. ALL THE PRESIDENT’S MEN (1976)

The granddaddy of all journalism films which inspired a generation of students to get into the business. Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman play Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, two young reporters for The Washington Post who historically exposed the role then-President Richard Nixon played in the cover-up of the Watergate break-in. The film is a masterclass on the basics of journalism, and its period setting of the 1970’s, prior to the technology-driven era, allows for a stripped-down approach to putting together the facts to deliver a coherent news story. It is ground-zero for nearly every journalism film that has come after, with its one message lasting into today; no amount of power can escape the truth. 

REEL SPEAK'S TOP 10 BEST JOURNALISM FILMS 

1. ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN
2. GOOD NIGHT AND GOOD LUCK
3. SPOTLIGHT
4. CITIZEN KANE
5. THE PAPER
6. SHATTERED GLASS
7. THE INSIDER
8. ACE IN THE HOLE
9. BROADCAST NEWS
10. STATE OF PLAY