Unexpectedly entertaining spin on a sordid affair
Netflix’s latest movie, Scoop (2024) is a fictional look into the infamous interview between BBC and Prince Andrew. After Queen Elizabeth II’s second son, Prince Andrew is linked to Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted sex offender, mayhem unleashes.
In trying to get to the truth, an interview that allows Andrew to explain his side of the story is suggested. With rumours going about that the Queen herself has approved the interview, a rigorous procedure takes place to prevent the interview from being a disaster.
Meanwhile, it is a tough time in the journalistic world as there is extreme competition which has led to a massive layoff at BBC. To keep Newsnight running, producer Sam decides to go after Prince Andrew to secure a scoop right before Jeffrey Epstein is arrested for a second time. However, she faces a major obstacle, but it happens to be from her own team which includes the ambitious reporter, Emily Maitlis.
Scoop is extremely fast-paced which honestly works in its favour since the whole point of the story is a single interview. There really are limited things one can do to keep it engaging from start to finish. But Scoop does it, each moment is busy and there is always something going on, even if it’s tiny filler moments as they help flesh out the characters.
It has a strong cast including the likes of Gillian Anderson as Emily, Billie Piper as Sam, Keeley Hawes as Andrew’s secretary, Amanda and Rufus Sewell as the man of the hour, Prince Andrew himself. They all do well in their roles; of course, with such heavyweights, it is easy to drown, but they all champion through, especially Sewell as the “charming” prince who is anything but.
While the Netflix movie doesn’t push for the viewers’ overt sympathy, Sewell makes it easy for us to watch him with subtle humour, making us keep an eye out for his scenes. And to avoid painting Prince Andrew in a negative or positive light which would take them down a dangerous route, the movie simply decides to make him a prop. Scoop is not about him, never has.
It is about Sam, the BBC layoff, her conflict with her peers and how she pulls off the interview. This is why, despite being an ensemble story, Sam is the main protagonist, she is the gutsy, no-nonsense producer. She is the brains behind the interview, the one who pushes and pushes and worries about crossing the line and in the end, hungers for the credit of making the infamous interview happen.
Gillian Anderson as always does a great job as Emily Maitlis, the interviewer. But her inclusion in the story is odd. The first half of Scoop is about Sam, Amanda and Andrew. Emily is portrayed as a bystander but suddenly we start getting her POV, and the movie becomes about her.
This segment is short but so jarring that it messes up the structure of the film. Had Emily’s character been integrated from the beginning, had a storyline been given to her that runs parallel with the other characters, it would have felt more organic.
However, Scoop goes back to its original pacing once the interview starts. And even if one doesn’t know the nitty-gritty of the incident, it is entertaining to watch. You can see when Emily is holding back, noting all the openings that Andrew gives her and how she picks and chooses when to go after him and when to let him ramble.
To put it simply, the Netflix movie offers a gripping portrayal of the intricate dance between media and power in the aftermath of a scandal. With a stellar cast and a fast-paced narrative, it navigates the complexities of journalism, desperation and ethics with finesse. And it ends up delivering an engaging and thought-provoking exploration of a disastrous PR move in recent history.
Read More: Scoop Ending Explained
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Verdict - 7/10
7/10