Game Is a 2010 Political

¶ … Game is a 2010 political thriller directed by Doug Liman. The film stars Naomi Watts and Sean Penn as the thriller's leading characters and centers on the couple's dilemmas as they strive to uncover the truth behind one of the United States' most recent scandals. Based on a true story, Fair Game utilizes news footage interspersed within the film to further convey the gravity and authenticity of the plot.

Set in post-9/11, the film touches on the issues leading up to the American conflict in the Middle East. When it comes to light that false information has been provided to the uppermost information, Joseph C. Wilson, played by Sean Penn, speaks up and attempts to clarify the miscommunication in information. Wilson wrote an op-ed piece that was published in the New York Times in 2003 in which he said that the Bush administration had manipulated intelligence about weapons of mass destruction in order to justify the invasion of Iraq. In an attempt to discredit Wilson, the press and government officials, target and oust Valerie Plame, Wilson's wife portrayed by Naomi Watts, as a covert CIA agent, a move that not only endangers her life, but also the lives of those presently cooperating with her on several active missions throughout the world, and more specifically, the Middle East. Wilson and Plame's decision to speak out against the unjust persecution of Plame lead to inquiries about CIA policies and procedures and eventually led to formal charges being filed against Scooter Libby.

The film sets out to present the facts that occurred in a straightforward manner and is devoid of intricate subplots or special effects. The tone of the film is serious and the mise-en-scene is presented in a muted tone, when dealing with the CIA and its operations, and shows the explosive dangers of war when trying to present the situation and bombing of Iraq. The film makes use of hand-held cameras and/or steadicam technology to further demonstrate the authenticity of the events depicted. Furthermore, the use of news footage relating to the events and intelligence that led to the bombing of Iraq add credibility to the film. Limon chooses not to focus much attention to the conflict in Iraq, and rather focuses on the political malaise and bureaucratic drama surrounding Plame as the Bush administration tried to find a scapegoat to blame for their mistakes. The news footage is also used to present the ordeal that followed after Wilson's op-ed piece was published in the New York Times and helps to demonstrate the media, political, and public backlash that ensued. The use of news footage helps to present the story from an unbiased view and leaves little room for Limon to convey his political agenda, if any. The film succeeds in bringing attention to the Wilson/Plame plight for justice and their quest to clear their name. The film also succeeds in demonstrating the corruption within the Bush administration and how power was abused in order to justify their actions, as well as their attempt to cover-up the truth at any expense. The editing helps to support Plame's story as it follows her through her job duties, both in Washington, DC and in the Middle East. The editing follows a linear narrative and lays out the story over the years following the bombings of 9/11. By choosing to not focus on the bombing itself and focus on the government's ensuing response, the audience is allowed to understand the reason and information that led to the decision to bomb Iraq and to what ends the government was willing to go in order to deny their culpability of acting of manipulated intelligence.