SCOOP
(director: Philip Martin; screenwriter: book by Sam McAlister, Peter Moffat, Geoff Bussetil; cinematographer: Nanu Segal; editor: Kristina Hetherington; music: Anne Nikitin, Hannah Peel; cast: Colin Wells (Jeffrey Epstein), Connor Swindells (Jae Donnelly), Kate Fleetwood (Annette Witherid), Rufus Sewell (Prince Andrew), Billie Piper (Sam McAlister), Keeley Hawes (Amanda Thirsk), Romola Garai (Esme Wren), Lia Williams (Fran Unsworth), Aoife Hinds (Rebecca), Gavin Spokes (Mark Harrison-photographer), Richard Goulding (Stewart Maclean), Amanda Redman (Netta McAlister), Gillian Anderson (Emily Maitlis), Zach Colton (Lucas), Alex Waldmann (Jason Stein), Tim Bentick (Davis-lawyer), Jordan Kouame (Freddy); Runtime: 114; MPAA Rating: TV-14; producers: Radford Neville, Hilary Salmon; Netflix; 2024)
“This fact-based biopic clearly shows how easily the rich and powerful can prey on the weak.”
Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz
A drama about the downfall of Prince Andrew (Rufus Sewell) that’s directed with vigor by Philip Martin (“The Forger”/”Japan in a Day”). It’s based on the book by Sam McAlister, and is written by Peter Moffat and Geoff Bussetil.
In 2019, the BBC conducted an exclusive interview with the Duke of York about his friendship with convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein (Colin Wells). The broadcast would leave Andrew as a disgraced royal, who lost his HRH title, patronages, and the Royals no longer involved him in their activities.
The infamous interview was arranged by the junior female producer at the BBC’s ‘Newsnight,’ the sassy Sam McAlister (Billie Piper). She cleverly followed-up the rumors about Prince Andrew’s friendship with Jeffrey Epstein, who was still alive at the time, with appropriate questions.
The interview was arranged when Sam contacted the Prince’s aide Amanda Thirsk (Keely Hawes) and told her if he granted the interview, the program would promote Pitch Palace, the Prince’s entrepreneurial ‘initiative.’
Using the guise of promoting Pitch Palace, Sam contacts the Prince’s aide Amanda Thirsk (Keely Hawes). But when news breaks about Epstein’s suicide and that the Prince had sex with a 17 year-old-girl trafficked into Epstein’s sex ring, the focus of the interview changed.
The Queen sternly told her son that he must try and repair his ruined image. But his interview with the journalist Emily Maitlis (Gillian Anderson) in that regard only made things worse, as he comes across as a liar and a bumbler. And, of all things, he says he doesn’t regret his friendship with Epstein because of the useful “opportunities” he gained. Making matters worse, he also had no good answer as to why he remained a houseguest after Epstein was exposed.
This fact-based biopic clearly shows how easily the rich and powerful can prey on the weak and the profound effect Prince Andrew’s inappropriate behavior had on British society. But it wasn’t a scoop, as the title suggests–just good journalism.
REVIEWED ON 12/30/2024 GRADE: B
dennisschwartzreviews.com