Reality stars Sydney Sweeney as Reality Winner, the former N.S.A. translator imprisoned for leaking information about Russian interference in the 2016 elections, in which Trump emerged triumphant.
Adapted from the play Is This a Room, the script s co-written by director Satter and James Paul Dallas.
The narrow scope and gripping fact-based story add up to a relevant thriller.
Sweeney is the anchor of a true thriller, which forces viewers to question what’s real on several levels — not just whether any government could be trusted, but also when language obscures reality.
On May 9, 2017, Reality Winner watches at her office Fox News coverage of President Trump firing James Comey
Twenty-five days later, on June 3, Winner returns home from shopping, where she is confronted by FBI agents Taylor and Garrick, with warrant to search her house and belongings.
As a team of agents arrive and begin searching the house, Winner engages in casual conversation with the agents, all of which is picked up by recording device, the transcript of which forms the basis of the film’s dialogue. During the early recording, Winner expresses concern for her dog’s and cat’s safety during the search.
Winner agrees to speak with Taylor and Garrick in an empty bedroom about the specifics of her work. She explains that, besides working as yoga instructor and CrossFit trainer, she is a Farsi translator for a government contractor and is hoping to be deployed to Afghanistan as a translator, based on her fluency in Pashto.
The agents then reveal to her that they are questioning about the recent leak of classified government documents to an online publication.
Winner initially denies knowledge, but she eventually confesses that she had printed and leaked a document from the National Security Agency’s database.
The film initially redacts specifics of the leak, and eventually shows that the documents revealed proof of Russian interference in the 2016 US elections and the publication was The Intercept, which had put out a call for evidence of Russian interference.
Winner denies wishing to be a whistleblower or to undermine the intelligence community, instead stressing her wish for the American public to have the same information that the government had about the election.
Meanwhile, she chiefly expresses concern for her pets, realizing that she will be taken into custody.
In the end, she is escorted out of her house and handcuffed, as footage is shown of media reports about the leak.
Winner receives both praise and criticism for her actions, with some accusing her of colluding with the Middle East or denying the veracity of the leaks altogether. Some outlets criticize The Intercept for allowing the leak to be traced to Winner, while others claim that Winner’s punishment was set to discourage potential whistleblowers.
An epilogue explains that Winner was denied bail and was charged under the Espionage Act. She spent four years in jail and will remain there until November 2024.
The same document Winner leaked was later used on the Senate floor as evidence of Russian interference.
From Page to Stage to Screen
Tina Satter turned the interrogation transcript into verbatim theatre performance Is This a Room (based on the transcript quote “Is this a room? Is that a room?” spoken in the film by an FBI agent played by John Way), which premiered at The Kitchen in 2019 before an extended off-Broadway run at the Vineyard Theatre.
The production starred Emily Davis as Winner, Pete Simpson and TL Thompson as the interrogators, and Becca Blackwell as “Unknown Male,” a classification in the transcript for dialogue from multiple FBI agents who were inspecting Winner’s house.
The play premiered on Broadway at the Lyceum Theatre on October 10, 2021, and closed on November 27, 2021. Winner was not involved with the production during its off-Broadway run due imprisonment, and was unable to see the Broadway production due to house arrest. However, she spoke with the creative team after release from prison and video-called into the opening night’s curtain call.
In preparation for her role, Sweeney watched interviews and spoke with Winner. She used these conversations to understand and mimick Winner’s speaking mannerisms. Mindful of Winner’s job as a yoga trainer and CrossFit instructor, Sweeney also trained, using workouts Winner posted on her Instagram.
Despite her support for the film, Winner claims she will never see it, due to the traumatic experience of reliving the ordeal of her arrest.
The feature was shot over the course of 16 days, with exteriors done at the start of production, and about 10 days focused on the interiors of the room set.
The entire interrogation sequence was filmed in order, which is unusual.
The film received its world premiere at the 2023 Berlin Fest, after which HBO Films acquired US distribution rights.
Reality received positive reviews from critics, who praised Satter’s staging and Sweeney’s performance.
For a first-time director, Satter shows command of the medium’s technical aspects, manifest in the transition from the minimalist set design of Is This a Room to the film’s realistic recreation of Winner’s house.
Cast
Sydney Sweeney as Reality Winner
Josh Hamilton as Agent Garrick (Justin C. Garrick)
Marchánt Davis as Agent Taylor (R. Wallace Taylor)
Benny Elledge as “Joe” (Unknown Male)
John Way as FBI Agent
