Dark Waters (Review)
Dark Waters might be the scariest film I’ve seen in theaters this year. Not because it’s a horror movie, at least not in the traditional sense, but because it exposes the face of pure evil in America. It offers a gut-wrenching look at everything that’s wrong with capitalism and to make matters worse, it’s based on a true and very recent story. It is a story of how a multibillion-dollar company poisoned the entire world and got away with only a slap on the wrist. As if that wasn’t enough, the company fought tooth and nail so that it wouldn’t have to pay a minuscule sum and answer for its heinous act. Dark Waters is an incredible film, but like the tale it tells, it’s one that comes with a price.
Mark Ruffalo teams with director Todd Haynes to tell the story of an American hero, Robert Bilott. Bilott is a lawyer who took on one of the biggest companies on the planet and defeated it through sheer force of will over the course of 13 years. The whole thing started when a gruff West Virginia farmer named Wilbur Tennant (Bill Camp) brings Bilott a case at the suggestion of his grammars (West Virginian for “grandmother”). Tennant has had 190 cows die on his property since a landfill opened alongside his farm and is convinced something in the water is killing them. What starts as a small pro-bono case turns into one of the biggest cases of corporate malfeasance in American history, as Bilott discovers that not only is Dupont to blame, but the company had known for decades just what their products were doing to people and animals. It’s a despicable tale that absolutely needed to be told.
Dark Waters is filled with impressive performances. Of course, Ruffalo is fantastic. He always is. Camp is also mesmerizing as the rough around the edges West Virginian who “don’t give a care how it’s done in the big city.” He’s almost impossible to reason with or get along with, and it’s a good thing because his tenacity ends up getting Bilott into taking the case. Opposite Ruffalo is Anne Hathaway as Sarah Bilott (his wife), whom I didn’t even recognize at first. Her character is meant to show the tremendous stress Bilott is under as his obsession costs him everything. Her struggle is almost as palpable as his as she has to deal with an absent husband who can’t let go of this monstrous case. As Dupont works to bury him, Bilott has one man in his corner, his boss, Tom Terp (Tim Robbins), one of those rare lawyers that has a soul. Robbins’ calm nature gives way to fiery passion as the evils of Dupont come to light. Soon, it’s not about the money, it’s about doing what’s right. All these actors come together to deliver spot-on performances that drive the film forward even as it hits lulls in the story.
Haynes doesn’t shy away from the disturbing nature of this film. At its core, Dark Waters is a legal thriller. However, to really show what the stakes are, he has to depict the stomach-churning effects this chemical (C8) has on living creatures. Blackened teeth, grotesque tumors, engorged organs, all of this is put on display not to shock the audience but to prove just how sickening this company is. These horrors set an ominous tone early on in the film and Haynes continues re-enforcing this anxiety with harsh fluorescent office lighting. It’s hard to look at, but it reflects the stress that the characters are under as it puts the audience on edge as well. This is countered by blue lighting during certain scenes and overcast outdoor shots that offer a welcomed coolness to the film. Don’t get used to it though, because you get thrown right back in.
There isn’t a lot of courtroom drama in Dark Waters, but the little people do get their day in court in the end. Before that there’s a lot of reading, researching, and litigation. Dupont inundates Bilott with boxes of documents hoping that he’ll realize how impossible it is to get through it all and simply give up. Luckily, he doesn’t. Unluckily, we get to watch him go through every step as he connects the dots. While the process is fascinating, it gets exhausting at points. Dark Waters drags at times and I felt the desire to check the time more than once. As you reach the end, you realize that victory comes with a heavy cost. You have to question if it will really mean anything in the long run. That doesn’t negate the fact that Dark Waters portrays a man who is the very definition of a hero; he is a man who deserves respect and recognition for his tireless work.
Dark Waters is a film that will literally make you sick with anger as you watch a company LITERALLY get away with murder. It’s not an easy film to get through. Given the nature of it, it would have been a disservice to the victims not to see it told to the extent it was. It’s inspiring to see there are good men out there who don’t shy away from battling the Goliaths of the world. It’s also incredibly depressing as you realize the stereotype of the evil corporation is firmly rooted in fact. I am very happy that I saw Dark Waters, and I would recommend it to anyone out there. That being said, it’s such a heavy film, I will probably never watch it again.
