Watch Mark Felt: The Man Who Brought Down the White House
- PG-13
- 2017
- 1 hr 43 min
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6.4 (14,662)
Mark Felt: The Man Who Brought Down the White House is a political drama film that examines one of the most crucial moments in modern American history. The movie is directed by Peter Landesman and stars Liam Neeson, Diane Lane, and Marton Csokas. The story is set in the early 1970s, during the presidency of Richard Nixon. The Vietnam War had just ended, and the Watergate scandal was beginning to engulf the White House. Mark Felt (Liam Neeson) is a high-ranking official at the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) who is frustrated with the politics that have permeated the agency. He has been bypassed for promotion, and his friend and colleague, W. Mark Felt is also known as "Deep Throat", an anonymous source who provided key information to journalists Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein during their investigation of the Watergate scandal.
The movie starts with the break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters in the Watergate complex on June 17, 1972. Mark Felt is one of the FBI agents who is assigned to the case, and he quickly becomes suspicious of the White House's involvement. But his investigation is hindered by his own agency's politics and by the Nixon administration's obstruction of justice.
As Mark Felt becomes more and more disillusioned with his superiors at the FBI, he decides to take matters into his own hands. With the help of his daughter Joan (Maika Monroe), who is also an FBI agent, he becomes the anonymous source "Deep Throat" and begins leaking information about the Watergate scandal to Woodward and Bernstein.
While Mark Felt's role as "Deep Throat" has been well-documented, the movie also explores the personal toll that his actions took on him and his family. His wife, Audrey (Diane Lane), is supportive of him but worries about his safety, as the Nixon administration actively sought to identify and punish the source of the leaks.
Meanwhile, Mark Felt becomes increasingly paranoid and isolated and starts to interrogate his own colleagues to find out who might be leaking information about the Watergate investigation. At the same time, he is haunted by the memories of his past, including his involvement in the FBI's investigation of the civil rights movement in the 1960s.
The movie culminates in Nixon's resignation on August 9, 1974, and Mark Felt's eventual retirement from the FBI. But while his actions helped to bring down the White House and expose the truth about Watergate, they also led to his own downfall.
Mark Felt: The Man Who Brought Down the White House is a gripping and intense political drama that provides an insightful look into one of the most significant moments in American history. Liam Neeson delivers a powerful and nuanced performance as the conflicted and complicated Mark Felt, while Diane Lane brings depth and emotion to her role as his supportive but worried wife. Marton Csokas is also excellent as the conniving and ruthless FBI official who stands in Mark Felt's way.
The movie is beautifully shot and features a strong script that balances the political intrigue of the Watergate scandal with the personal drama of Mark Felt's life. The supporting cast, which includes Ike Barinholtz, Josh Lucas, and Tony Goldwyn, also delivers strong performances that add to the movie's overall impact.
Overall, Mark Felt: The Man Who Brought Down the White House is a must-see for anyone interested in American politics or the Watergate scandal. It offers a captivating and nuanced look at one of the most important moments in modern American history and provides a compelling portrait of the man who played a pivotal role in bringing down the White House.
Mark Felt: The Man Who Brought Down the White House is a 2017 drama with a runtime of 1 hour and 43 minutes. It has received mostly poor reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.4 and a MetaScore of 49.