Rebecca Hall (The Gift, Everything Must Go) does what many actors and actresses have tried and failed to do…successfully portray a person with an untreated mental disorder. In this case, the mental disorder is depression. For many actresses, it is hard to put themselves in that mold if they’ve never directly that disorder. I’m not sure if Hall has ever experienced a major depressive episode in her life. Still, if she has not, she did a great job researching Christine Chubbuck and bringing this character to life in a way that makes you feel like she’s that one co-worker of yours who you know is struggling with life but doesn’t know bad it really is. Chubbuck, a reporter for Sarasota’s WXLT-TV news broadcast, made headlines when, while live on air, stated, “In keeping with Channel 40’s policy of bringing you the latest in ‘blood and guts,’ and in living color, you are going to see another first —attempted suicide” before shooting herself in the head and splattering blood against the back wall. She died later that evening in a local hospital.
It’s hard to tell Christine’s entire story in two hours, but director Antonio Campos (Afterschool, Buy It Now) did a fine job. This certainly isn’t the most enjoyable movie of the year, but it gets the job done. And unlike many other biopics (Ray, Walk the Line, Love & Mercy), Christine doesn’t delve into much of a backstory. Instead, we meet her as a 30-year-old reporter for the aforementioned station. She’s not a very good station reporter as she literally reads from a paper script that she holds in her hands, barely making eye contact with the camera, let alone engaging anyone who happens to be watching the newscast. Moreover, she isn’t really seen as a team player with her co-workers, particularly her boss Michael (Tracy Letts – The Big Short, Showtime’s Homeland), who she constantly battles over regarding the type of stories to cover. Feeling the pressure from his boss Bob Anderson (John Cullum – All Good Things, The Night Listener), Michael is forced to relinquish the old school mentality of telling human interest features in favor of sensationalized news stories that bring in much higher ratings. While Michael isn’t the greatest, most forgiving boss in the world, it is easy to understand the stress of his job. And, to his credit, he holds on to Christine when it would be much easier to let her go, and no one would really blame him for it. She’s not a good reporter, and she is in constant strife with what Michael is trying to do with the station.
Christine is devoted to her job and wants more than anything to be successful. But her professional life is failing her. Plagued by constant unsuccessful personal relationships, jealousy of others, and her unrequited desire for co-worker George, Christine wants a life of normalcy. But, unfortunately, she believes she is the one in her group of co-workers who Bob will handpick to lead a news broadcast in Baltimore, a top 25 market. So she makes it her new obsession to impress Bob while he is scouting the Sarasota talent.
To say that Christine Chubbuck is socially awkward is an understatement. Volunteering at a local children’s hospital by teaching lessons through puppet shows seems to be one of the only breaks she gives herself from work, and, even then, she is still showcasing her talents. Her relationship with her mother, Peg (J. Smith-Cameron – You Can Count on Me, Man on a Ledge), is strained. Peg has been caring for her daughter and these depressive episodes for, presumably, her whole life. And while she understands Christine’s triggers better than others, you can tell that she feels like she is always walking on eggshells around her daughter. There isn’t much humor in Christine. She is apprehensive when she receives compliments, not believing that someone else is sincere when they say something nice about her. Her hopeless outlook on life clouds her ability to see things objectively. Her unusual personality causes strangers to look at her funny. Her volatile temper is often so frightening that it makes her appear confrontational even when she is not.
The scenery of the movie feels very drab. Never does it feel like this isn’t the early 70’s and never do you feel glad that you don’t live in that time period. The newsroom felt very tense. There was lots of cigarette smoking, and there were no windows at all in the small studio. You could almost feel the claustrophobia that you’d have if you were a co-worker of one of these characters.
The movie is not the most pleasant viewing experience. It’s hard to watch at times, particularly because you know what is coming. The on-air suicide attempt is not a surprise for most viewers and, if it is, it is simply because a quick three-sentence synopsis of the movie wasn’t even glanced at. This isn’t a movie for everyone, and even the gung-ho moviegoer probably won’t find it an enjoyable experience. With that said, not all movies are meant to be “enjoyable.” A movie can be great by dragging you to places that are uncomfortable and/or thought-provoking. This movie is both uncomfortable and thought-provoking. It will stick with you for a while and not in a good way.
Plot 8.5/10
Character Development 8.5/10
Character Chemistry 7.5/10
Acting 8/10
Screenplay 8.5/10
Directing 8.5/10
Cinematography 10/10 (I am so grateful I was not 30 years old in 1974 simply because of the size and picture of the television sets alone)
Sound 8/10
Hook and Reel 9/10
Universal Relevance 8.5/10
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