Film: September 5 [2024] – Peter Sarsgaard, John Magaro

September 5 takes a quasi-documentary approach to what is otherwise a thriller. The movie brilliantly captures the rising tension, making us feel the weight of every second, and decision.

Starring Peter Sarsgaard & John Magaro, director Tim Fehlbaum cuts September 5 like a docu-thriller, and the movie comes alive via its technical brilliance.

In fact, a movie like this one relies heavily on its cast because the story is well known. Thankfully, the actors are outstanding. They bring pressing gravity to their courageous, fallible characters’ every decision between moral probity and professional duty.

Yes, some people might find it dull because it lacks the theatrics often crammed into Hollywood movies. Thankfully, those are absent here. Fehlbaum takes a very European approach, steering clear of overly dramatic scenes and focusing on the reporting and the actors.

This isn’t the film the Olympic tragedy deserves—that title belongs to Spielberg’s Munich (5). However, it does a decent job in sparking our interest in the meta side of TV news. At its core, September 5 feels like a nod to Nielsen ratings

As documentary-style cinema goes, it’s top notch. Cigarettes in the studio! Tape spools! Walkie talkies! Secondary sources for news stories! It’s all so quaint, yet still gripping.

Should You Watch It?

Putting the infamous attack aside, this movie is a jittery look at a news crews on the precipice of determining when, exactly, the media, as an amplified witness, becomes, itself, the perpetrator. Very adequate to our current world events.

Where Can I Watch It?

You can stream September 5 on Paramount+.