Trumbo – 8.1

Just as Hollywood-perfect as The Martian, with great acting, fun story and scene-after-scene that brought tears to my eyes – except this story really happened. Bryan Cranston deserves Oscar consideration for his intense portrayal of blacklisted screenwriter Dalton Trumbo, a hero presented with just enough flaws to avoid treacle. It’s also fun to see actors playing John Wayne, Hedda Hopper, Edward G. Robinson, Otto Preminger and, best of all, Kirk Douglas. Trumbo’s family – the beautiful Diane Lane and sensitive Elle Fanning – add an emotional counterpoint to the larger story, but it is that larger story – how America was bamboozled by the politics of fear – that makes the film important. In a post-screening interview, director Jay Roach made clear that the parallels of today – the Benghazi hearings, Donald Trump, etc. – were never far from his mind. The days of HUAC and Joseph McCarthy were a terrible time, and we should not forget them.

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