The Fifth Estate
What’s it about?
A “from the headlines” flick in which Julian Assange (Benedict Cumberbatch) and Daniel Domscheit-Berg (Daniel Brühl) team up to expose corrupt authority figures through their site WikiLeaks. As the secrets they uncover become more portentous, the company mission statement begins to blur.
What did we think?
Elizabeth says: Firstly, let me say, Cumberbatch’s insanely accurate Aussie accent is a wonder to behold. Now that’s out of the way, this film has a very Social Network feel to it: borderline-Asperger’s genius has idea for company, partners with a like-minded tech whiz, hits the big time, gets a bigger ego, gets paranoid every time partner is credited alongside him, fires partner, looks like an asshole. Does it bring anything new to the table? Not really. Is it interesting? Sort of, if you haven’t already watched the whole drama over the news.