A Private War

It is very rare to find a movie that is able to provide both a compelling portrait of a complex real-life individual while also accurately grounding the experiences of that individual in the context of the larger world in which they exist. One movie that comes close to achieving this is “A Private War”, starring Rosamund Pike as the groundbreaking war-time corresponding Marie Colvin as she covers a range of conflicts from Sri Lanka to Iraq to Syria. Not surprisingly, the level of carnage and destruction in these regions has a profound effect on her mental state which affects her personal life. Most filmmakers here are faced by a decision. They either focus on her personal life and make an intimate character study. Or they make a larger scale film, following the person through their many “adventures”. In A Private War, director Matthew Heineman and screenwriter Arash Ame almost pull off a perfect balance between the above two approaches.

The more personal stuff puts the focus on actors, drawing wonderful performances, chiefly from Pike but also from the supporting cast including the likes of Jamie Dornan and Tom Hollander. Pike is able to convey so much through just her face and a single eye (Colvin lost an eye while covering the civil war in Sri Lanka). Dornan follows in the footsteps of Suspiria’s Dakota Johnson by stepping out from the shadow of fifty shades to display the true range of his talents. These scenes are beautifully lit, using a combination of shadows, silhouettes, and brightly lit faces to convey Colvin’s emotional turmoil, trauma, and solitude. The scenes are set in small rooms and office spaces. The camera is close in on the faces but is very still and the editing is slow and deliberate.

On the other hand, the scenes set in the war zones are more frenetic and chaotic. There’s a lot of handheld photography, crash zooms, whip pans, and quick cuts. Everything is very gritty and even though the framing is very tight on the main players, the full scope of the battles being waged can be felt through the brilliant use of sound. The places where the fighting gets closer to the journalists, the action is staged very creatively and leaves a very visceral impact on the viewers. However, it's not just explosions and gunshots. The movie also depicts the human cost of war in the many countries that Colvin covered during her career. And since this is done through Colvin’s perspective, the movie does not sacrifice any character development while doing so. In fact, on the contrary, Colvin’s interaction with the locals helps reveal some of her inherent humanity which is the driving force that compels her to go out into such dangerous territories.

A Private War, like the real-life hero on whom the story is based, is flawed. The script can be a little heavy-handed at times. The music swells where perhaps more restraint might have been advisable. Some characters like the one played by Stanley Tucci are a little thinly drawn. But despite these flaws, the film manages to rise to a level which makes it hard to ignore. It has the potential to leave you moved by the subject matter and inspired by the bravery of Marie Colvin.