Scoop is one of those movies that came out of nowhere, at least for me. And I have to tell you that I followed everything that’s been going on with both Epstein and Prince Andrew for quite some time. I’ve not only watched the now infamous interview but I also watched body language experts break it down further. After all, everything I’m talking about is readily available on YouTube. And, if you want to dig a bit further there are also numerous documentaries about the subject. With that being said, I don’t want to waste too much of your time right about now so I’ll just get straight to the point. I absolutely loved Scoop and I think it’s definitely a movie worth watching.
Scoop is a movie about how one of the most bizarre interviews in the history of television, between BBC presenter Emily Maitlis and Prince Andrew, came to be and how it unfolded. And if you’re wondering if will we see juicy portions of that interview in this movie, the answer is yes. This is something I was anxious about as we were getting closer and closer to the main event. I was afraid they were just going to cut out the entire interview and focus on the aftermath. Luckily, that didn’t happen. And you’ll get the chance to watch the abridged version in all its glory.
This is a Netflix production but don’t let that fool you into thinking Scoop is somehow a quick money-grab. It’s based on a non-fiction book written by Sam Mc Alister, one of the editors at the BBC. She offers a unique insight into this side of journalism, a side we don’t usually get the chance to see. However, we will start somewhere else. We will start in New York with a young paparazzi looking for a money shot. And that money shot turns out to be a photo of Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted pedophile and sex trafficker, casually walking and talking with Prince Andrew in Central Park.
The first thing that’s going to strike you is just how much the actors look like their real-life counterparts. From afar, I could swear I was looking at Epstein and Andrew. And while Epstein appears only in this scene, we will get a good look at Andrew, played by none other than Rufus Sewell. Yes, that’s him underneath that utterly believable makeup. He gave one hell of a performance here along with Gillian Anderson who plays Emily Maitlis. However, in the lead role, we have Billie Piper, a popular UK singer and actress.
While I did enjoy the details about how it came to be and the perfect storm of events in the background, I found something else far more interesting. The clash between the cold hard facts and a pompous and privileged asshole who thinks that he can get out of everything. The first thing he says in the interview buries him instantly. And he continues to dig that hole until he’s absolutely disgraced and proven as a liar and a criminal, at least in my opinion. Too bad it will be years or possibly decades before we learn the true extent of his crimes.
However, with that being said, there’s plenty of stuff available now that paints a picture of a real asshole. Moving on, Scoop feels like a very personal movie. Mostly because most of the events are told from the perspective of a single person. The pacing is just right, not too slow and not too fast although I can see how some of the viewers could find it a bit sluggish. In that sense, it’s quite different from big journalism movies like Spotlight, The Post, or Bombshell. It’s more focused on the characters and the technical details of these events. That doesn’t make it bad, just different. Finally, if you’re looking for movies like Scoop do check out Frost/ Nixon.
Director: Philip Martin
Writers: Samantha McAlister, Peter Moffat, Geoff Bussetil
Cast: Billie Piper, Gillian Anderson, Rufus Sewell, Keeley Hawes, Richard Goulding, Romola Garai
Fun Facts: Rufus Sewell watched body language expert analyze the interview with Prince Andrew to pick up on his mannerisms.
Rating:
IMDb Link: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt21279806/
