The Reel Review
To some, whistleblower Edward Snowden will be the ultimate patriot in exposing the U.S. government’s illegal mass collection of cell phone data of millions of Americans. To others (especially those in the federal government), he will forever be a traitor. And while this Oliver Stone biopic likely won’t sway any opinions, it is still a fascinating (although sometimes dry) peek inside the CIA and NSA and the events leading up to Snowden’s big reveal that will have you covering that built-in camera on your laptop when you get home. Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s portrait of Snowden is exceptional, but strangely, Stone, when finally handed a story that plays right into his penchant for conspiracy theories, instead focuses on Snowden’s love story with his girlfriend, glossing over the epic repercussions, both good and bad, of his historic whistleblowing.
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