September 5

Starring: Peter Sarsgaard, John Magaro, Ben Chaplin, Leonie Benesch, Zinedine Soualem, Georgina Rich, Corey Johnson, Marcus Rutherford, Daniel Adeosun, Benjamin Walker
Directed by: Tim Fehlbaum
Rating: R
Genre: Drama, Thriller
2024

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: During the 1972 Munich Olympics, the ABC sports team is in position to broadcast live the chilling terrorist attack on Israeli athletes.

Review:

Tim: September 5 is a good film that has some visible, obvious flaws. It's an interesting study, because I liked the movie throughout. I was entertained, rarely bored. It tells a true story that shows us a behind-the-scenes look at a famous world event. It features a strong cast, even if it's short in terms of "famous" actors. All the pieces were in place and they mostly fit together- so why did I only consider this "good"? It feels like it should have been better.

I do think one of the big issues is that the whole film feels a tad irrelevant. This event was already depicted in the superior Munich (such a great film), and while this one is seen from a different vantage point, it's through the eyes of observers. Yes, it's intriguing to see what it was like to be on the ground, working for a sports program when a terrorist group takes athletes hostage. There's some valor in these journalists, working hard to understand what was happening where, and how to position themselves to capture the story. There's a balance between a drive to broadcast this event to world, but some level of self-serving interest, too. There's a comment about a "bonus" and some of the team was interested in making history. This is all fine, but it begs the question, "Why?" Why did we need this movie in 2024? Does it reveal something about this event, is it imperative for audiences? I guess it does show the Munich hostage situation from a new perspective, and there's definitely some commentary about the role of journalists. So, maybe? I suppose it does matter now, to a certain degree. That's why this is a good movie, but not more.

The film itself does a great job of telling a story with momentum. The movie is only 95 minutes long and it covers a lot of ground. Director Tim Fehlbaum does a nice job keeping things moving. On the other hand, I don't think he wrings enough emotion out of this story. There's no moment where I really felt the emotional toll. We see these events, we get to know these characters, but we feel surprisingly little. Compare this to Munich (sorry, Fehlbaum, comparisons to Steven Spielberg rarely work out well), where that film captured the real human emotion behind the story. This one feels too removed, too distant. That is somewhat due to the subjects being removed from the action, but it's also the mark of a relatively inexperienced director. Had Fehlbaum figured out how to make us care more, feel more invested in this story, this movie would have easily been a 7.5

The cast was impressive. Peter Sarsgaard is the most known actor, and he gives a strong performance. It's more of a supporting role, but Sarsgaard is effective in nearly everything he does. He brings a nice hint of accessible gravitas to the role. I enjoyed his performance. John Magaro is perhaps the most pleasant surprise. I've seen Magaro in a few films and have been surprisingly impressed with his performances. He's rarely ever been better here- he's really the protagonist of the film, and we connect with his character quite well. I thought Magaro was excellent in the role, and it's a reminder for us to keep an eye on this actor. It was nice seeing Ben Chaplin here- it's been a while since I've seen him. He was almost unrecognizable, but he does give a thoroughly effective, believable performance. Chaplin makes the movie better. If Magaro was the most pleasant surprise, Leonie Benesch could challenge that assertion. She takes this supporting role and elevates it- her story, her bravery is one of the more impressive aspects of this film. Benesch really shows beautiful vulnerability combined with strength in this role. She gives a standout performance and was one of my favorite parts of the film. I know I did criticize Fehlbaum earlier (and I do think he deserves some), but I also want to applaud him for getting a cast of "not A-listers" to give such strong performances.

Fehlbaum also deserves credit for the script. The script is truly excellent- the story, the characters, the frenetic pace- Fehlbaum the director might not fully leverage the opportunities in the script, but the writing felt excellent. September 5 was nominated for 1 Academy Award, for Best Original Screenplay. I don't think it ever had an actual chance of winning, but the nomination is legitimate recognition of incredible work.

I really did like September 5. I think true stories like this are almost always worth our time. I'm not sure this one revealed much that felt new, but it looked at the Munich attack from a different vantage point. It reminds us of the importance of journalism and how badly journalists (print and television) have failed America over the past few years. This is a good movie and if I could give it a 7.25, I probably would. It's just not quite effective enough, not quite memorable or emotional enough to reach the higher plateau. Still, a good movie is a good movie and this is one I absolutely enjoyed.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating- 7



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Munich, Patriots Day, Hotel Mumbai, Black Mass, Pawn Sacrifice