Words of War

Despite Peake’s best efforts, her heroine comes off as a one-dimensional figure of brisk, corrective righteousness -- an archetype that seems very English.

The film’s a necessary downer that nonetheless inspires in a viewer an echo of its heroine’s compassion and resolve.

The viewer feels, at the end, that it can’t happen here -- until it does. A final image of numerous fellow journalists felled in the pursuit of truth, including The Washington Post’s Jamal Khashoggi, drills the point home.

Peake’s listening face is profoundly moving, and she makes us see how Politkovskaya’s empathy is as important in gaining their trust as her commitment to telling the world what she is seeing.

Even so, Politkovskaya’s bravery, and Peake’s commitment to honoring it, is enough.

Words of War is a solid drama about a remarkable woman.

Good message, s,ow story.

Passably effective biopic on the late brave Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya.

...[Maxine] Peake here marvellously conveys an empathy and listening style that enabled Polikovskaya as a reporter to win the trust of Chechen civilians.

Clunky but intriguing, Words of War is mostly watchable because of the cast members' performances. This often-trite drama (about slain journalist Anna Politkovskaya, an outspoken critic of Valdimir Putin) should've had better editing and sharper dialogue.