Joel Schumacher seems a strange choice for directing the film, before actually taking a look at the finished product. While the logical choice might have been someone like Neil Jordan, Mr. Schumacher makes the most of it with the material at hand. As usual, he is a director that likes to take chances, as he shows here.
This film came and went without being noticed in this country. Some movies go away quickly, which was the case with "Vernica Guerin". Having just seen it in DVD format, it deserved much better than oblivion from the distributing studio, or the many people deprived of seeing it when it first was released.
Veronica Guerin was a courageous woman who was not afraid for her life, even though there are a couple of instances that could have caused her death, before her actual demise. We see the events on a flashback, as the movie starts with the tragic events of Ms. Guerin's death. We watch her pursuing the people that had no scruples unloading drugs in impoverish areas of Ireland and laughing all the way to the bank with the millions they made illegally.
Cate Blanchett does a great job in her portrayal of Ms. Guerin. Not knowing what the real person was like, Ms. Blanchett bears an uncanny resemblance to the real woman. Cieran Hands, as John, the informer, is also quite good. Having seen him on the stage, he does an excellent turn as this evil man. Finally, Gerard McSorley is also what one would expect his John Gilligan to be; he makes Gilligan appear as the vermin he was. Brenda Fricker, as Veronica's mother, has only a few dignified moments on camera. The rest of the Irish actors were extremely good in contributing to create the right atmosphere for the movie.
This movie emphasizes the danger of drugs and the unscrupulous people that get rich out of the misery of others.
This film came and went without being noticed in this country. Some movies go away quickly, which was the case with "Vernica Guerin". Having just seen it in DVD format, it deserved much better than oblivion from the distributing studio, or the many people deprived of seeing it when it first was released.
Veronica Guerin was a courageous woman who was not afraid for her life, even though there are a couple of instances that could have caused her death, before her actual demise. We see the events on a flashback, as the movie starts with the tragic events of Ms. Guerin's death. We watch her pursuing the people that had no scruples unloading drugs in impoverish areas of Ireland and laughing all the way to the bank with the millions they made illegally.
Cate Blanchett does a great job in her portrayal of Ms. Guerin. Not knowing what the real person was like, Ms. Blanchett bears an uncanny resemblance to the real woman. Cieran Hands, as John, the informer, is also quite good. Having seen him on the stage, he does an excellent turn as this evil man. Finally, Gerard McSorley is also what one would expect his John Gilligan to be; he makes Gilligan appear as the vermin he was. Brenda Fricker, as Veronica's mother, has only a few dignified moments on camera. The rest of the Irish actors were extremely good in contributing to create the right atmosphere for the movie.
This movie emphasizes the danger of drugs and the unscrupulous people that get rich out of the misery of others.