Based on the New York Times piece “The Lawyer Who Became DuPont’s Worst Nightmare” by Nathaniel Rich. , Dark Waters is the latest work from Todd Haynes (Wonderstruck, Carol) starring Mark Ruffalo as a corporate defense lawyer who switches sides to come to the aid of a West Virginian farmer and a small-town community who might be being poisoned by a local, large chemical company.
Ruffalo is excellent as Rob Billot, a lawyer who is used to defending huge clients, but when Wilbur Tennant (Bill Camp), a farmer and neighbour of Billot’s grandmother who storms into his swanky big city offices to ask for representation. His complaint is that his livestock is dying and, after visiting the small West Virginian town discovers that the potential pollution from a nearby plant may be getting into the water- His initial visit shows that dogs are behaving strangely, cows are being buried in mass graves and it appears that some of the inhabitants’ teeth are rotting. Billot takes on the case, much to the bemusement of his colleagues at the firm, and indeed his wife at home, Sarah (Anne Hathaway) – the young lawyer seemingly willing to sacrifice his growing, glowing career backing up the big companies who he will now focus in his legal crosshairs. What follows is two hours of intriguing investigation and discovery; an absorbing drama with Ruffalo at the top of his game.
It’s a slight change of genre for Haynes whose last film was the more fantastical mystery, Wonderstruck, and before that the awards-laden Carol. This isn’t what one might expect from the filmmaker, but he delivers, as expected- a solid piece full of superb performances. Tim Robbins, Bill Camp and a more limited in terms of screen time Bill Pullman are exceptional, while Anne Hathaway is also superb even if she also is not given quite as much time to shine.
This is a serious subject matter, so do expect a bleak, desaturated visual piece that does stretch to over two hours. While not a slog, it does require your full attention, and its talented cast, well researched and detailed screenplay by Mario Correa and Matthew Michael Carnahan and skilled craftsmanship by Haynes make Dark Waters one of the most remarkable and truly alarming films of the year.
Dark Waters is available on digital download and on DVD now.
Dark Waters
Summary
A very heavy piece, as expected, but one that is well-crafted that absorbs from the off until the remarkable, jaw-dropping end.
