Family movie night? There's an app for that
Download our new mobile app on iOS and Android.
The Whistleblower
By Jeffrey M. Anderson,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Strong role model in otherwise disturbing, depressing movie.
A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this movie.
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
The Whistleblower
Community Reviews
Based on 2 parent reviews
Movie Critics should get a life. This movie needs to be seen
whisteblower
What's the Story?
In 1999, Kathryn Bolkovac (Rachel Weisz) is a cop in Lincoln, Neb., who has lost her daughter in a divorce settlement. She agrees to take a high-paying job as a "peacekeeper" in Bosnia and Herzegovina, where she quickly realizes that laziness and corruption rule the day. Her training and ethics don't allow her to lie down on the job, so she starts working hard. She soon discovers a human trafficking ring in which teen girls are tortured and sold as sex slaves and starts looking for ways to shut it down. In the meantime, Kathryn becomes personally attached to two Ukrainian girls, which brings more trouble and heartache. Worse, the depth and breadth of the corruption is far more considerable than she could have possibly imagined.
Is It Any Good?
Ukrainian-Canadian filmmaker Larysa Kondracki makes her feature writing and directing debut with THE WHISTLEBLOWER, and it seems to be straddling two Hollywood traditions. It wants to be a true story with a powerful, active female lead -- like Norma Rae, Erin Brockovich, and North Country. But it also wants to be a potboiler, using factual elements as part of a typical thriller (All the President's Men, JFK, The Insider). Unfortunately, the thriller stuff is very soft, and the docudrama stuff is too focused on "Oscar moments" (i.e. huge expressions of outrage and torment).
Yet Kondracki has clearly done some research here, and in between the awkward moments of finding bugs in phones and stealing satchels full of classified documents, the movie carefully tells a horrifying tale of human trafficking and the severe cruelty it inflicts in exchange for a massive profit. If the movie serves a purpose, aside from Weisz's powerhouse performance, it's to impart information about this important issue.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the movie's graphic violence. What impact does it have? Would showing additional details have changed that impact? How?
Is the type of trafficking/prostitution shown here about sex, or is it more about power and money? Why?
What's the appeal of dark, serious movies? How often do you choose those over lighter fare? Why?
Movie Details
- In theaters: August 5, 2011
- On DVD or streaming: January 24, 2012
- Cast: David Strathairn , Monica Bellucci , Rachel Weisz
- Director: Larysa Kondracki
- Inclusion Information: Female directors, Polynesian/Pacific Islander actors, Female actors
- Studio: Samuel Goldwyn Company
- Genre: Drama
- Run time: 112 minutes
- MPAA rating: R
- MPAA explanation: disturbing violent content including a brutal sexual assault, graphic nudity and language
- Last updated: November 10, 2023
Inclusion information powered by
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
Suggest an Update
Where to Watch
Our Editors Recommend
Drama Movies That Tug at the Heartstrings
Biopic Movies
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate