Fair Game (2010)

An undercover CIA agent (Naomi Watts) married to a former U.S. diplomat (Sean Penn) is working covertly with a group of Iraqi scientists while gleaning information and getting them out of Iraq when her identity is spilled to the media. With her cover blown, not only is she no longer of use to the CIA but the spotlight and accusations leveled at her and her husband causes a major rift in their marriage. Based on the true story of Valerie Plame whose CIA status was leaked by White House sources in retribution for her husband's allegations of false information being distributed in order to justify the invasion of Iraq. This is a well made political thriller that while fastidiously aiming its arrows and accurately hitting its targets is not above manipulating the "facts" (not unlike the recent ARGO or ZERO DARK THIRTY) to make for better drama. Since cinema should not be a substitute for an actual history lesson, I have no problem with that. They get the major points correct. Penn does some really good work here, restraining his tendencies to go over the top but it's Watts who really shimmers here. Surprisingly, the film did rather poorly at the box office. Directed by Doug Liman (THE BOURNE IDENTITY) who also did his own cinematography. With Sam Shepard, Noah Emmerich, Ty Burrell, Brooke Smith, Polly Holliday and Bruce McGill.