A Private War

R

Released Nov 16, 2018

1 hr. 50 min.

Biography

Drama

War

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List

88%

147 Reviews

Tomatometer

62%

1,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

Celebrated war correspondent Marie Colvin is a woman who is as comfortable downing martinis with high society's elite as she is brazenly staring down warlords and fleeing from gunfire. Driven by an enduring desire to bear witness and give voice to the voiceless, Colvin charges into danger, constantly testing the limits between bravery and bravado.

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Critics Consensus

A Private War honors its real-life subject with a sober appraisal of the sacrifices required of journalists on the front lines - and career-best work by Rosamund Pike.

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Pam L

R. Pike delivers in everything she does!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/05/24

Full Review

Jeffrey P

I feel that, like with many other recent biopics, there probably wasn't enough source material for a story but they found a way. A character study lacking momentum and an overall connective theme, other than the character whom the film is based on, with the conclusion almost vindicating the path taken.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/24/24

Full Review

David W

Rosamund Pike is truly marvelous in her role as late journalist Marie Colvin. The depth and breadth of this film makes it hard to believe it's based on a magazine article. The story touches on numerous, highly critical topics while not overwhelming the audience with too many messages. It's a film one needs to be prepared and in the mood for, as it's not for light viewing or the faint of heart. I would absolutely watch this again.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/22/24

Full Review

Alec B

Pike is great, but the movie never coalesces around a coherent idea of who Colvin really was outside of vague ponderings about her wanting to do good and something about trauma. One feels that the real Colvin deserved something better.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

01/05/24

Full Review

Shock Therapy R

A god unto herself. Unwilling to take counsel from other professionals. "You don't have a military brain," a colleague tells her. So was the craft worth the indiscretion? She was abiding in pure evil. She decided to die a martyr's death along with the Syrian civilians. Her empathy, early on, became sympathy. And sympathy killed her. But it also killed her colleagues beholden to her. And we celebrate that? Yes. Society still likes it's gladiators, and the press likes their money. This movie epitomizes the worst of everyone, and celebrates it with coverage.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

01/07/23

Full Review

Mac N

It is quite a well made movie but my main beef is that, like most war films these days, it is a US war machine narrative that accepts since proven lies and fabrications as fact.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

12/12/22

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Matthew Heineman

Director

Rosamund Pike

Marie Colvin

Jamie Dornan

Paul Conroy

Tom Hollander

Sean Ryan

Stanley Tucci

Tony Shaw

Jérémie Laheurte

Remi Ochlik

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A Private War: Trailer 1

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Cody Corrall

Chicago Reader

While Rosamund Pike delivers an unbeatable portrayal of Colvin, the film itself fails to say anything new about addiction or the demons she battles.

Feb 22, 2020

Full Review

Nigel Andrews

Financial Times

Poor, gifted Rosamund Pike is persuaded to play the American-born Sunday Times journo at full throttle, when half-throttle would be a nice occasional variant.

Rated: 2/5

Feb 20, 2019

Full Review

Matthew Norman

London Evening Standard

At a time when pressured media budgets are conspiring, with the general preference for escapism over reality, to threaten war reporting's very existence, A Private War unflinchingly reminds us of its value.

Rated: 3/5

Feb 17, 2019

Full Review

Victor Pineyro

Seventh Art Studio

Rosamund Pike is a master at her work, yet the film's structure does not help us connect with the crude reality of Marie Colvin's impressive persona. We become numb of emotion by the pace of it all. [Full review in Spanish]

Rated: 6/10

Jun 17, 2022

Full Review

Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

Central to A Private War's effectiveness is star Rosamund Pike, playing Colvin in a performance that volleys between admirable strength and searing vulnerability.

Rated: 3/4

Mar 4, 2022

Full Review

Kip Mooney

College Movie Review

A powerful tribute to Marie Colvin, and the thousands of victims she gave a voice to.

Rated: B+

Aug 20, 2021

Full Review

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Synopsis

Celebrated war correspondent Marie Colvin is a woman who is as comfortable downing martinis with high society's elite as she is brazenly staring down warlords and fleeing from gunfire. Driven by an enduring desire to bear witness and give voice to the voiceless, Colvin charges into danger, constantly testing the limits between bravery and bravado.

Director: Matthew Heineman
Executive Producer: Erica Lee, Jonathan Fuhrman, Ashley Schlaifer, Jeffrey Sobrato, Joe Gelchion, Beth Kono, A.J. Dix, David Dinerstein, Jason Resnick, William Sadleir, Wayne Marc Godfrey, Robert Jones, Jeff Rice
Screenwriter: Arash Amel
Distributor: Aviron Pictures
Production Co: Denver and Delilah Productions, Kamala Films, Savvy Media Holdings, Thunder Road Pictures
Rating: R (Disturbing Violent Images|Brief Sexuality/Nudity|Language Throughout)
Genre: Biography, Drama, War
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 16, 2018, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 5, 2019
Box Office (Gross USA): $1.6M
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)