Scoop Review: A Timely Journalistic Story & Excellent Performances Are Let Down By Mixed Messaging

As the media landscape continues to grow and the role of news in society becomes all the more prevalent, the world of journalism has become a hot topic for movies and TV. Whether it be the fictional character of HBO’s Emmy-winning drama The Newsroom or the Best Picture Oscar-winning true story of Spotlight, the lens of journalists has become a compelling one to explore in the midst of the “fake news” boom and social media giving everyone a voice. While Netflix’s Scoop looks to tap into these various themes, it comes up a little short.

Based on Sam McAlister’s biographical novel of a similar name, the movie is largely set in early 2019 in the wake of Jeffrey Epstein’s infamous arrest for sexual trafficking of minors and subsequent suicide in prison. It centers McAlister and BBC’s Newsnight host Emily Maitlis’ efforts to secure an interview with former Prince Andrew to discuss his friendship with Epstein. Directed by Philip Martin and penned by Peter Moffat, Scoop strives to give an energetic exploration of this subject, but despite some strong performances, it ultimately falls victim to its mixed messaging.

Scoop’s Journalists Never Quite Find The Right Motivations

Despite occasionally addressing the horrors of the subject, the characters feel driven by the wrong thing

As the title of the movie suggests, the characters of Sam McAlister (played by Doctor Who‘s Billie Piper) and Emily Maitlis (brought to life by Sex Education‘s Gillian Anderson) are always on the hunt to get ahead of their fellow journalists when it comes to a big story. Following their efforts to land one of the biggest interviews of both their careers with Prince Andrew is certainly compelling to watch, particularly as McAlister has to fight her blunt nature to convince the reserved royalty to agree to the interview or Maitlis carefully crafting her questions.

The biggest issue with these characters, however, is that their motivations feel a little too self-driven. While getting a story as big as a royal’s connection to a convicted sex offender is one that requires something of a cutthroat attitude, it rarely feels like the journalists in Scoop have a vested interest in the social importance of the story and more a desire to get it before anyone else can.

With a subject as sensitive as the one in the film, it’s hard not to want to see a more pointed and critical standpoint from Maitlis and McAlister than the one present in Scoop. Though Spotlight is known for having taken some creative licensing, one of the most important things about the 2015 movie that made it so compelling to watch was its characters’ drive to exposing the horrific crimes covered up by the Catholic Church in Boston.

Exhilarating Performances From The Cast Keep Audiences Hooked

Rufus Sewell disappears into Andrew while Piper & Anderson are gripping

Despite some of the struggles with the moral depictions of the figures, the actors behind Scoop‘s characters are all mesmerizing in their different roles. Piper is incredibly effective as the driven McAlister, wonderfully capturing the various layers brewing underneath the surface, including her refusal to take no for an answer or compromise in her values. Anderson similarly taps into the power Maitlis brought with her for her reporting, as well as the challenges of assuring she asked the important questions of her subjects without giving them an inch.

The real standout of the cast, however, is Rufus Sewell as Andrew. In his decades-spanning career, the Emmy nominee has played a wide variety of characters, though he is often known for his more villainous turns in the likes of The Legend of Zorro, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter and The Man in the High Castle. With Scoop, Sewell finds an intriguing middle ground in portraying the infamous former royal family member.

While it would have been easy to paint a target on Andrew’s back and turn him into a cartoonish figure, Sewell and Martin instead do their best to try and have the audience sympathize with him. Whether it’s reflecting on his relationship with his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II, or his desire to move beyond the Epstein situation, the star injects Andrew with some genuinely affecting moments. At the same time, the actor knows when to effectively imbue a sense of humor and acknowledge the faults of his alleged ignorance.

Martin’s Direction Keeps Scoop Moving

Stylish direction & energetic pacing keep the movie from feeling sluggish

Though it may falter thematically where Spotlight soared, one area that Scoop does excel at in comparison to the 2015 movie is its fast-paced direction. Martin takes full advantage of his various filming locations to keep the movie feeling energetic and engaging, utilizing various angles to effectively capture the shifts in dynamics. The film also builds tension in crucial scenes — from the initial pitch to Andrew for the interview to the interview itself. The latter feels all the more powerful as he lets the camera largely focus on Sewell as he balances the truth while avoiding self-incrimination.

While one could argue that the more deliberate pacing of Spotlight was just as intriguing as Scoop‘s quicker one, the fast-moving nature of the story at hand blends well with its overall speed. But despite a very game cast and occasional spotlights of timely themes in regard to journalism, the movie never quite lives up to some of its genre predecessors as it presents flawed motivations for them all.