Snowden (HBO)

About Snowden (HBO)

The 2016 biographical thriller film 'Snowden' is directed by Oliver Stone and written by Stone and Kieran Fitzgerald. The film follows the life of Edward Snowden, a former Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) employee and National Security Agency (NSA) contractor. It is based on the books "The Snowden Files" by Luke Harding and "Time of the Octopus" by Anatoly Kucherena.

The plot reveals Snowden's discovery of the mass surveillance program of American citizens carried out by the US Intelligence Agencies. Tormented by a crisis of conscience, Snowden makes the drastic decision to leak classified information to the public. The film culminates with the ensuing international controversy and Snowden's flight to Russia for asylum. The movie uses a narrative framework of Snowden telling his story to documentary filmmaker Laura Poitras and journalist Glenn Greenwald.

Making / Production

The film was shot in multiple locations, including Munich, Hong Kong, Hawaii, and Moscow. Oliver Stone, known for his controversial subjects, again breaks into the limelight, presenting a balanced and realistic view of the most famous whistleblower's story. One of the main challenges was representing the technical jargon and cyber terminologies in a way that could be comprehensible to the general audience.

Actors

• Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Edward Snowden: He brings a quiet intensity to the role, successfully conveying Snowden's intelligence, conviction, and internal conflict.
• Shailene Woodley as Lindsay Mills: Woodley plays Snowden's longtime girlfriend, and she provides a warm and emotional counterpoint to the high-stakes drama.
• Rhys Ifans as Corbin O’Brian: Ifans plays a high-ranking CIA official who becomes a mentor to Snowden early in his career.
• Nicolas Cage as Hank Forrester: In a small but memorable role, Cage plays a disillusioned intelligence officer who influences Snowden.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• Edward Snowden himself makes a cameo appearance at the end of the movie.
• The film is based on two books but also incorporates details from other sources and original interviews.
• Director Oliver Stone met with Edward Snowden multiple times in Moscow before making the movie.

Awards

While the film didn't win any major awards, it was nominated for the 'Razzie Redeemer Award' at the Golden Raspberry Awards.

Quotes

• "The government knows that it's a violation of the constitution to spy on people, but they're doing it anyway."
• "You have no idea what it's like to be accountable for other people's lives."

Music, Soundtrack

• The film's score was composed by Craig Armstrong, providing a tense and emotional musical backdrop to the high-stakes drama.
• The soundtrack also features the song "Secret Downloading" by Boys Noize.