Director: Philip Martin
Genre: Biographical drama
Cast: Billie Piper, Gillian Anderson, Keeley Hawes, Rufus Sewell, Romola Garai, Colin Wells
Duration: 103 minutes
Now streaming on Netflix
Scoop was such a ‘delicious’ watch for this former journalist so I will start with that disclaimer. I might have found it appealing because of that. However, I am still convinced that it is a treat of a watch if you are looking for a good, well-paced story based on real events. It is even more interesting if you followed Prince Andrew, aka the Duke of York’s fall from grace as a member of the British royal family. But that is not the actual premise of the movie.
The movie focuses on Sam McAlister (Piper), a producer for the BBC’s Newsnight. Sam is having a bit of a rough time at work, especially because staff cuts have been made at the media house and some of her colleagues are not keen on her being part of the team. She is, therefore, under pressure to find a good story for the programme. When the possibility of having Prince Andrew on the show presents itself, she follows it until she secures it. The movie is, therefore, a behind-the-scenes story of the infamous Prince Andrew interview on BBC in 2019, albeit with some artistic license. Infamous because it poured fuel on the prince’s already sus reputation in light of his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, the American financier and sex offender.
The story, acting and production are good enough to keep you watching from start to finish. Rufus Sewell’s portrayal of Prince Andrew is a bit too dramatised but I guess that is the point of the movie. It is also nice to see the tensions that go into producing a news product being portrayed without the usual romaticisation of the process. When it came to the actual interview, however, there is still nothing like the original.
Scoop is a solid watch that is worth your data bundles.
–Grace Kenganzi
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