Shattered glass: flip side to All The President's Men

Catholic New Times, Jan 4, 2004 by Din Yalonen

Shattered Glass (2003) Directed by Billy Ray, starring Hayden Christensen. Peter Sarsgaard and Chloe Sevigny.

This film tells the true story of fraudulent Washington, D.C. journalist Stephen Glass (Christensen), who rose to meteoric heights as a young writer in his 20s as a staff writer at The New Republic for three years (1995-1998). In his tenure there, 27 of his 41 published pieces were either partially or completely made up. Looking for a short cut to fame, Glass concocted sources, quotes and even entire stories. But his deception did not go unnoticed forever, and eventually his world came crumbling down.

Shattered Glass is important for the simple reason that so much of mainstream journalism seems to be more fiction than fact. For example, Michael Moore among others, has pointed to the questionable coverage of George W. Bush's recent visit to Baghdad. Bush, we now know, was photographed with a plastic turkey perfectly basted of course. He brought give White House photographers to record his heartfelt solidarity with the troops.

Stephen Glass wrote for The New Republic, a large conservative magazine in the US. Here he invented his imaginative copy. Most reviewers do not go into the reasons behind Glass's "fictions." The film simply shows what he did, and how he progressively got found out. We feel the enormity of such a fraud. We understand that journalistic truth and scrupulous reporting are requisites in helping a reading public become better informed. As Glass refuses to admit fault, we begin to understand how our own consciences would work if we were in his shoes. We desperately want him to repent and face the music.

There is a memorable scene where new TNR editor Chuck Lane catches Stephen in a bold-faced lie. One hopes Glass will come clean. We anticipate his moment of truth and grace. Instead, Glass spins an even bigger lie to hide the first one.

Hey, is anyone getting a comparison here? Is anyone thinking of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction? Is anyone thinking about how, instead of admitting fault, George W. Bush soldiers on.

I was struck by this comment of Canadian actor Hayden Christensen: "Putting all of someone's lies and one of the worst times in his life out there and committing that to film for someone to go to a video store and rent whenever they so please.... I said, 'Can I really do this with a good conscience?' But then "You need to be held responsible for your actions."

As I watched this movie, I could not avoid thinking of my own lies and how I need to admit them to myself before they get worse and out of control. The grace of this movie was that it made me realize how important it is to confront your own demons.

Sarsgaard's Chuck Lane is outstanding as the conflicted new editor and former colleague of the "poster boy" liar-jourrnalist, Stephen Glass.

The Star Wars kid can actually act. This is the best film about investigative journalism since All The President's Men. That film brilliantly showed what serious journalism can do: bring down a dishonest President. Shattered Glass is the flip side--it shows us how dishonest journalism can keep dishonest people in positions of power ... For a while.