Christine
Starring Rebecca Hall, Michael C. Hall
Directed by Antonio Campos
“If it bleeds, it leads”. The popular adage joined the news lexicon of the ‘70s and marked a critical moment in the history of television journalism. Few were more personally affected by this turning point than Sarasota, Florida, native Christine Chubbuck.
Based on the harrowing true story, Rebecca Hall portrays the determined reporter who sought community-driven stories about real people and local issues, but battled depression and was pressured to gather sensational tabloid fodder in the midst of dwindling ratings. The pressures surrounding her culminated in a tragic event that is best viewed spoiler-free.
Hall is simply fantastic in the complicated role, giving arguably the finest performance of her career and one to remember during awards season. Director Antonio Campos tackles the delicate subject matter with sincerity and sensitivity, opting for genuine character study rather than exploitative art.
The film meticulously portrays Chubbuck’s mental state as a slowly crumbling facade by also focusing on the people in her life. These include a handsome anchor (Michael C. Hall), overbearing boss (Tracy Letts), flighty mother (J. Smith-Cameron) and a genuinely concerned co-worker (Maria Dizzia).
Christine’s production design, wardrobe, and archaic newsroom equipment match the era impeccably. In addition, Danny Bensi and Saunder Jurriaans’ sometimes haunting score offers an enigmatic effect and tight editing courtesy of Sofía Subercaseaux gives deliberate pacing. Christine’s shocking finale may unsettle some but it also serves as an important reminder that this actually happened, and the film’s thoughtful examination of its central figure is heartbreaking yet ultimately engrossing.
