The Whistleblower [2011]

There’s nothing more frustrating than wanting a movie to be great and having to admit that it falls short. At one point during “The Whistleblower”, I found myself wanting it to be more exciting and dramatic, to no avail. It isn’t bad, but it never scales the heights of greatness its story promises and requires. I won’t dispute the seriousness of the subject, which deals with human trafficking and exploitation of underage girls. But I am willing to question its dramatic impact. If nothing more, the film is worth watching for Rachel Weisz’s solid performance as Kathryn Bolkovac, a Nebraska cop and single mom who thought a United Nations peacekeeping job in Bosnia could solve her financial problems. Once in Sarajevo, Kathryn aids the local police in stopping sex trafficking, only to find that the cops, the diplomats and even U.N employees are a major part of the problem. Vanessa Redgrave plays a diplomat who becomes Weisz’s ally in these dark times, but corruption is everywhere. Monica Belluci is wasted as a cold embassy official, while David Strathairn can’t do much, playing a one-dimensional character (he doesn’t have enough screen time). The film swings from melodrama to silliness, and becomes extremely repetitive at times, before it reaches an unsatisfying conclusion. I don’t doubt the director’s good intentions, and as a cautionary exposé , it shouldn’t be dismissed, but as drama, it falls flat.

Rating: 2.5/4