Snowden (2016)

Oliver Stone's biopic of Edward Snowden, the private intelligence contractor who at age 29 infamously leaked a treasure trove of classified American intelligence data to British journalist Glenn Greenwald and others before fleeing ultimately to Russia. The film follows the gradual political disillusionment of Snowden from a conservative training for special forces in 2004, to a disgruntled intelligence analysis who in 2013 committed what, slice it whichever way you like, was one of the larger acts of treason in U.S. history. The film is sympathetic to Snowden as you might expect from the politics of its famously liberal director, and I for one do not doubt that Snowden's actions came from a sincere place, and I suspect were ultimately for the long term benefit of the United States. But  I also think he still needs to go to prison. The film is well written and even restrained in its presentation, and its nice to see Stone again do a political film that's not about a politician. The cast is good, including small roles for Melissa Leo, Tom Wilkinson, Timothy Olyphant and Scott Eastwood. Shailene Woodly plays Snowden's long time girlfriend Lindsay Mills. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is quite good as Snowden as well, though I have mixed feelings about the way he does peoples voices. Really though, best Stone film in some time. ***1/2