The Whistleblower: High Pitched Whistle Goes Unheard.

The Whistleblower (2010), is a drama-thriller starring Rachel Weisz with sporadic, if at times unhelpful, appearances from the until now MIA Monica Bellucci. Weisz's character Kathryn Bolkovac is based upon a true story of a womans struggle as a UN diplomat. With supporting turns from Vanessa Redgrave and the virtually unknown Nikolaj Lie Kaas, the film portrays a rough-around-the-edges Weisz as a US officer who after losing custody of her children goes into an ambitious (conveniently well paid) diplomatic intervention in post-war Bosnia where she receives the fastest promotion in the history of the UN to Head of Gender Affairs. Through her role in the UN, Kathryn soon uncovers a human trafficking business which capitalises on young women, each seemingly from a different motherland with proves for some interesting discourse between the languages, and uses their bodies for commodities of sexual abuse and torture, and to a lesser extent; barmaids.

 The least of Kathryn's concerns is whether or not these troubled girls have their certificates for the responsible service of alcohol, as she soon discovers that some of her co-workers in the UN have been supporting the trafficking as a further source of blackmail and thus disposable income (in case the $100,000 tax free pay for a few months service was not enough pocket-money). Miss Weisz then undergoes a cat-and-mouse chase of a few girls in particular who without the proper documentation are as good as dead to the UN.

What ensues is a horrific sequence which for the purpose of non-disclosure will remain a secret and as the title suggests, Rachel blows that whistle. The film is good. Don't get me wrong, there is a touch of confusion to the story but that is perhaps the desired effect considering the amount of information that was obscured and obtained by our "peacekeepers". In terms of acting, the supporting actors aren't going to break headlines and Monica Bellucci has apparently disappeared for a reason as so has her ability to move her face. Lady Weisz (as she will now be referred to due to pure talent) is wonderful. I don't know if it's the complete lack of style or make-up, but the emotion is laid bare on her face as if she really understood what her Ukrainian tag alongs were saying. Weisz carries the film and the strong, times-changing character is similar to that she played in Agora (2010), seems like the powerhouse woman is her current trend. Fingers crossed she will eventually get another award that isn't merely for supporting Ralph Fiennes in a movie. As far as The Whistleblower goes, its a solid film and will make you feel remorse and guilt for the last 40 minutes and potentially 15 minutes after its closure.

I give this film: Three and a half stick-figure ladies!