The Report

Daniel Jones, a tenacious staffer with a knack for questions no one wants asked, becomes the lead investigator on the Senate panel studying the CIA's Detention and Interrogation Program. The film tracks his methodical reconstruction of a secretive system built on coercive interrogations and classified memos, piecing together what the program did, how far it went, and whether it produced results. As Jones compiles interviews, internal memos, and agency explanations, he faces repeated resistance from officials who fear political damage and emboldened defenses from those who defend the program. The narrative emphasizes the ethical stakes of bringing hidden truths into the public arena and asks what accountability looks like when power wants to keep secrets.

The Report is directed by Scott Z Burns and draws on the real life Senate Intelligence Committee inquiry into the CIA's Detention and Interrogation Program. It premiered at festivals in 2019 and was released to audiences by Amazon Studios, with Driver and Bening leading a tight ensemble.

Although it stays within a procedural frame, The Report sparked conversations about transparency in intelligence work and the limits of executive secrecy. The film casts a light on the drama of oversight, the personal toll on those who document it, and the way public accountability can reshape debates about national security, human rights, and the role of truth in democracy.

Critics generally praised Adam Driver's restrained performance as Daniel Jones and Scott Z Burns's disciplined storytelling. The movie centers on questions of moral responsibility, the tension between secrecy and democracy, and the costs of pursuing accountability in a system built to protect secrets. It asks whether truth can prevail when politics and security imperatives pull in opposite directions.

Budget is listed at 8 million dollars and the film made about 275 thousand dollars at the box office, reflecting a limited release and strong streaming emphasis rather than a wide commercial push. It stands as a compact, focused chronicle of government accountability.