Summaries

Journalist Gary Webb, California 1996, started investigating CIA's role in the 1980s in getting crack cocaine to the black part of LA to get money and weapons to the Contra insurgents in Nicaragua.

Based on the true story of journalist Gary Webb. The film takes place in the mid-1990s, when Webb uncovered the CIA's past role in importing huge amounts of cocaine into the U.S. that was aggressively sold in ghettos across the country to raise money for the Nicaraguan Contras' rebel army. Despite enormous pressure not to, Webb chose to pursue the story and went public with his evidence, publishing the series "Dark Alliance". As a result he experienced a vicious smear campaign fueled by the CIA. At that point Webb found himself defending his integrity, his family, and his life.—Milena Joy Morris

A journalist at a minor newspaper, Gary Webb (played by Jeremy Renner), gets a tip-off that a witness at trial of a drug dealer is a government informant, and is importing drugs into the U.S. After much investigation he uncovers evidence that suggests that the CIA are allowing U.S.-backed rebels in Nicaragua to sell large quantities of drugs in the U.S. in exchange for arms. Once he publishes the story, his world is turned upside down.—grantss

Details

Keywords
  • based on true story
  • cocaine
  • journalist
  • nicaraguan contras
  • smear campaign
Genres
  • Thriller
  • Mystery
  • Crime
  • Drama
  • Biography
Release date Oct 8, 2014
Motion Picture Rating (MPA) R
Countries of origin United States
Language English
Filming locations Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Production companies Sierra / Affinity Bluegrass Films The Combine

Box office

Gross US & Canada $2450846
Opening weekend US & Canada $941809
Gross worldwide $5218973

Tech specs

Runtime 1h 52m
Color Color
Sound mix Dolby Digital Datasat
Aspect ratio 2.35 : 1

Synopsis

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