Dark Waters

Films are typically an art form in which to entertain us and give us a place we can escape into, however they have become a platform in which to teach us a lesson usually from true events in our history. Message films have been offered to for decades: "The China Syndrome" '79, "Silkwood" '83, "Erin Brockovich" 2000, The Corporation" (documentary) '04, "Promised Land" '12. Where these delve into problems with corporation corruption, we have been offered yet another in the form of "Dark Waters".

Inspired by a shocking true story, a tenacious attorney, Robert Bilott (Mark Ruffalo) uncovers a dark secret that connects a growing number of unexplained deaths in a small town in West Virginia due to the corporation DuPont which has a large plant in the small town. In the process, Bilott, a Cincinnati attorney, risks everything--his future, his family, including his wife, Sarah (Anne Hathaway), and his own life--to expose the truth.
It all started with a farmer Wilbur Tennant (Bill Camp) in West Virginia who knows Bilott's grandma, who came to Cincinnati to beseech him to look into why his cows are dying in an alarming rate. Him being an attorney for chemical companies reluctantly decides only to realize that the more he probes, the worse things become. He consults with his colleagues, Tom Terp (Tim Robbins) and Phil Donnelley (Victor Garber) to assist him. They were equally reluctant until facts started sifting in to where it was truly difficult to ignore. So, what started as a complaint from a farmer in West Virginia, became one of the largest class action suits in American history with 3,500 litigants and eventually, after a 16 year investigation--1999-2015, ended up with a 670.6 million dollar settlement from DuPont.

Others to round out the cast are Bill Pullman as Harry Dietzler, Scarlett Hicks as Amy Tennant, Wilbur's wife, Mare Winningham as Diane Kiger, Brian Gallagher as David Hollings, William Jackson Harper as James Ross, Kevin Crowley as Larry Winter, Jeffrey Grover as Edward Wallace, Louisa Krause as Karla and Chaney Morrow as Young Farmer.

This was rivetingly directed by the message film king, Todd Haynes ("Poison" '91, "Velvet Goldmine" '98, "Far From Heaven" '02, "I'm Not There" '07, "Carol" '15, "Wonderstruck" '17) plus TV, shorts and videos. As with his other films, this filmmaker is definitely in familiar territory, but considering he is incredibly passionate with controversial topics, it makes it easier to be forgiving, even if he doesn't go out on that limb professionally. The characters come across as real as if we were peeking into their lives, whether personally or professionally. It was intensely and grippingly written by Mario Correa ("Electoral Dysfunction" (documentary, creative consultant) '12) plus a TV documentary, and Matthew Michael Carnahan ("The Kingdom" '07, "Lions for Lambs" '07, "State of Play" '09, "World War Z" '13, "Deepwater Horizon" '16, "Mosul" '19, "21 Bridges" '19) plus TV, which is based on a magazine article by Nathaniel Rich. Even though Carnahan has the lion's share of the experience, surely Correa had pivotal ideas to bring to the table. With the exception of "Deepwater Horizon", Carnahan hasn't written many films based on a true story, however with this story, he definitely put together a riveting storyline that truly keeps the audience on the edge of their proverbial seats. Knowing the history about this case is not the exciting part of this film as much as seeing how the process unfolds to understand how this huge, greedy chemical company called DuPont is taken down so many more people don't have to die, and this is why message films of this type need to be made and seen.

If message films are your forte, this will really hit home. It has all the elements one would expect: deception, greed, idolatry, fear, dishonesty, threats, and redemption all rolled up in a message film to beat none. This is one film all need to see as a wake up call. As Bilott says in this film, "We have to protect ourselves. We can't depend on large companies, government or anyone else, we have to protect ourselves". I get it, because it truly makes one think!

Out of 4 Stars: 4                                        Rated: PG-13                                    127mins.