“Shattered Glass” is the true tale of the young and
deceptively brilliant Stephen Glass (Hayden Christensen,
“Star Wars: Attack of the Clones”) whose career writing
for The New Republic was cut short once it was discovered that 27
of his 41 articles were completely fabricated.
- Janna Hutz
- I killed them all … and not just the men, but the women and children too! (Courtesy of Lions Gate)
The twisted mind of Glass takes the viewer into his foggy
realities that slowly become under suspicion. “Shattered
Glass” is presented as a quick-moving and rapidly cut
exposition on the media but also the politics of the written word
and when it is necessary to sacrifice yourself and dignity.
Glass’ downfall is an oblique cat-and-mouse fable,
especially as the tiny section of Forbes Digital catches the mighty
Glass and the shallow nature of his articles. The underdog triumphs
by raising the stakes whilst the film spins off-kilter.
Glass’ co-workers rally behind him, blinded by his charming
smile and entertaining stories.
Christensen eerily conveys Glass’ façade of
naiveté and his drive to succeed which tumbled him from a
peak position in politics. The sweet innocence of
Christensen’s portrayal slowly bubbles up as he’s
discovered for what he truly is, but still argues his virtue,
creating nauseous overtones as the lies emerge.
Glass’ web is unraveled, and he becomes trapped by his
editor, Chuck Lane (Peter Sarsgaard, “The Salton Sea”).
Lane’s inner battle is poignantly revealed as he questions
the truth behind Glass’s words and soon realizes the level
someone would go to be a revered, successful writer. Sarsgaard
perfectly portrays Lane’s fight to embattle Glass through his
quiet absorption of the deceit that quickly surrounds him.
Ironically, “Shattered Glass” is filmed in the
bright style of a television docudrama, giving viewers access to
follow Glass and his foes through the twisted office space and
shakily taking us through the murky mind of Glass and his
fictitious memories. The filming style allows the viewer to intake
the film in a business-like manner, making the viewer feel like
they belong in the secret realm of politics.
This expose-based film is finely crafted to reveal tainted human
nature to make us wonder where the line should be drawn in creative
spaces, specifically within journalism. “Shattered
Glass” is wondrous, especially since it is a true story that
is executed with realistic undertones that truly speak to the
viewer.
Rating: 4 stars.