Director Todd Haynes (“Carol”) may be better known to the arthouse crowd, but he is rightly considered one of the most stylish artists in his field. This is also noticeable in ‘Poisoned Truth’, which will be broadcast on arte today, December 6 at 8:15 PM (and completely without commercial breaks).. The fact-based thriller is a real punch in the gut.
Even though the current TV airing of “Poisoned Truth” (uncut and commercial-free) will almost make you happy, you can also get the film on Blu-ray and DVD from online retailers like Amazon and also watch the suspense thriller in de See the original English version:
That’s what ‘Poisoned Truth’ is about
Robert Bilott (Hulk actor Mark Ruffalo) is a corporate lawyer and partner in a prestigious Cincinnati law firm that primarily represents major chemical companies. But then suddenly cattle rancher Wilbur Tennant (Bill Camp) lies on his mat, having had to watch helplessly as almost 200 of his animals died miserably in recent years. He therefore sees himself as a victim of the illegal disposal of toxic waste by the chemical giant DuPont, which is located on the adjacent site.
Although the company is usually on the other side, Bilott’s boss Tom Terp (Tim Robbins) gives him permission to take on the case and investigate. But the opposing lawyer (Victor Garber) reacts unusually aggressively to what was initially a friendly request. When Bilott finally discovers the extent of DuPont’s machinations and the attendant dangers to the region’s inhabitants and ultimately all of humanity, the case develops into his life’s work…
A concentrated thriller that fascinates and disturbs
In the official FILMSTARTS review, “Poisoned Truth” received a whopping 4 out of 5 possible stars. In his conclusion, our author Oliver Kube writes about the film: “Top actors, an excellent script and the suitably subdued production provide strong emotions for shocked viewers. This important drama feels like a punch in the stomach and is so much more than just a standard David versus Goliath story.”
“Poisoned Truth” is based on Nathaniel Rich’s New York Time Magazine article “The Lawyer Who Became DuPont’s Worst Nightmare,” which revealed that 99% of people have perfluorooctanoic acid in their blood. This is the so-called “forever chemical” that is used in the production of Teflon for non-stick frying pans because of its stability. If residues enter the organism of animals or humans, it can be highly carcinogenic.
The film not only aims to show how Robert Bilott, played in a wonderfully reserved and ultimately utterly desperate manner by Mark Ruffalo, takes on the giant chemical company, He also takes a lot of time to describe the background and explain how it came about that 99% of all people now have this substance in their blood. Director Todd Haynes stages this without any frills and always focuses on the essence, which is especially praised in our review:
“Thankfully, there are no clever camera gimmicks, no black-and-white sequences, no occasional increases in pace, no haste in editing, and no jumbled chronological order or other stylistic devices. […] For the facts, which he retells in a very simple and completely chronological manner, the director simply relies on the oppressive, dark atmosphere of oppression and threat created by dim lighting and the occasional blue filter.