Reality (2023)

June 2, 2023 8:52 AM

A former American intelligence specialist was given the longest sentence for the unauthorized release of government information to the media about Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections via an email operation.
posted by ftm (7 comments total)

According to this Vox article, the dialogue in the script, adapted from the state play of the same name, is verbatim or nearly-verbatim from the redacted transcript of Reality Winner's FBI interrogation.
posted by gauche at 8:58 AM on June 2, 2023 [1 favorite]

I was raised to believe that my government messes up sometimes but is essentially on my side. That we are the good guys, a government by the people, for the people, and that we don’t imprison people here just to make sure nobody ever dares to do something like making sure we’re told the truth about our own elections. We lionize the brave person who speaks out. When we get older, and wiser, and maybe more skeptical, that bedrock belief remains: that the truth will protect us.

I never existed in this version of reality and that last sentence is such a brightly flashing falsity I don't know what to do with such a statement. Absolutely pitiful what this woman went through for doing the right thing. No good deed goes unpunished.
posted by GoblinHoney at 10:41 AM on June 2, 2023 [2 favorites]

Interesting premise, but drags without excessive dramatization. I could read a whole lot of "cop" in the recorded record. ACAB.
posted by porpoise at 8:42 PM on June 4, 2023

I thought the "censoring" was cleverly done, to mirror the redacted parts of the interview transcript, even though the topic of the intelligence report she shared AND the source she shared it with were eventually revealed in the movie. Interesting choice to have it both ways in the movie, I guess. And the postscript about her being in custody on June 3, and Congresspeople sharing the details of the intelligence report on June 5 illustrates the conundrum she and the federal government were in.
posted by emelenjr at 9:18 AM on June 5, 2023

After seeing this it's hard for me to not think of her as the fiercest of warriors. She sacrificed herself for her country. I thank her for her service.
posted by Stanczyk at 12:02 PM on June 5, 2023 [2 favorites]

Sydney Sweeney is incredible here. I do think it hinges a bit on if you're on Reality's side or not (I am) but it's such an amazing performance.

Even knowing what was happening before I went into it, it was tense and nervy. The FBI agents' "we're your friends and are dog people" just made the whole thing worse. Sweeney found the right tone in how she played Reality.

I liked this more than I thought I would.
posted by edencosmic at 6:10 PM on July 11, 2023

Seconding edencosmic, even knowing the outcome it was still so tense, I loved Sydney Sweeney before this and she was fantastic!
posted by ellieBOA at 12:57 PM on August 18, 2023