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The new Netflix Original Nobody Speak: Trials of the free press starts out as a Hulk Hogan vs. Gawker story where it seems to start to go the way of man vs. abusive press. As the documentary progresses, one soon finds out this is not the case. It becomes a vehicle for spin as to why the powers that were at Gawker feel they were wronged for running with and publishing a selectively edited sex tape secretly made of Hulk Hogan and a radio jockey's slut wife. Most of the first 3/4 of the documentary covers the absolute beating Hogan and his lawyers continuously dish out to the people most liable at Gawker. All the while it also includes jabs here and there after the fact as to why Gawker should have been absolved of any wrongdoings and shielded by the First Amendment... of course straight from the mouths of the people directly responsible and their supporters. Throughout the program, there is an ever present Liberal shift going on that increases as the story progresses. CNN is prominently displayed at each turn with MSNBC in an attempt to coax the viewer to believe what is being said is backed up by other separate news organizations. A grand conspiracy-like connection is made and is suppose to be a huge shadow that mysteriously cost Gawker the trial although it has nothing to do with the case or deciding the case in court. No thought is ever given or considered on screen by the former news outlet as to the personal, intellectual, and professional damages that have been dealt to Hogan other than to mention there should have been more damage by additional footage being released. Once we find out the end result of the civil case and that Gawker will be closed and bankrupt the whole program shifts into a mix of anti-Trump and anti-Republican tirades and rhetoric. Videos are presented of the numerous run-ins between the media (mainly CNN) and Trump before and after the 2016 Presidential Election with selective editing and commentary full of disdain for Trump and his so-called shutting down of the press. The liberal views are front and foremost typically leaving out pertinent information. Although somewhat informative when guarding with skepticism, the documentary falls flat on its face trying to save face. The recent outing of the CNN brand of news unknowingly by its own anchors and producer pushing "nothing burger" fake news shines a bright light as to what this documentary is really about especially when they use so much of CNN's broadcasts. It is a desperate attempt at misdirection and to shift blame from those at Gawker who were held accountable. The writers and producers of the documentary as well as the various supporting cast of news editors, publishers, and reporters appear as fools, after the CNN debacle, pushing "nothing burgers" of their own and are no more credible in this reviewer's eyes than CNN.
score 1/10
BOSSC351 5 July 2017
Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw3746685/ |
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