In movies veritas

For weeks, Hollywood has been building up to the Oscars. This year’s Best Film award went to Spotlight – the movie about the child molestation scandal and cover-up within the Boston Catholic Archdiocese.  A huge honour, indeed.  But that wasn’t its only one.

Earlier in February, the Los Angeles Press Club awarded the film its first ever “Veritas Award.” Veritas is Latin for truth.  And this award – judged by members of the LAPC which focuses on integrity and standards in journalism – is for the “Best Film Based on or Inspired by Real Events and People.” 

Now, it’s ironic that the movie about a group of journalists trying to get at the truth has now gotten an award for its truthfulness from a group of journalists.  But according to the LAPC, Spotlight was the “clear winner.” 

Of course, shouldn’t all movies based on a true story be, well, true?

Movies “based on” or “inspired by” real events are popular because they’re a great selling point for movie-goers.  But those two words allow for a whole lot of latitude at the hands of Hollywood writers.

The Blind Side was the much-beloved story of NFL offensive tackle Michael Oher’s teen life, joining the Tuohy family and getting into university.  Sandra Bullock won an Oscar for her role as matriarch, Leigh Anne Tuohy.  However, how much of it was true? 

Michael Oher stayed with five families before joining the Tuohys.  It was actually the father, Sean, who met Michael first and began paying for his lunches because he didn’t have anything to eat.  Leigh Anne did not bring him home until months later. 

Furthermore, Leigh Anne did not face off with a group of thugs at Michael’s old apartment.  And most importantly, despite how powerfully the scenes played in theatres, neither she nor her young son had to show Michael how to play football.

In 2012, Argo received Academy Award praises despite its abundance of inaccuracies.  This group of Americans was never nearly lynched in Tehran’s Grand Bazaar.  The plane tickets were never cancelled at the last minute and then re-booked. There was no airport interrogation or runway chase. And Jimmy Carter himself admitted that most of the escape plan came from the Canadians, not the CIA. 

Had the Veritas Award been available before now, I fear it would have gone unclaimed.  These movies are made because the stories are interesting.  So why is the truth not good enough?

Combining characters and background stories is expected.  There’s only so much you can fit into two hours.  And directors want to keep viewers focused on the main points – not get bogged down with excessive and unimportant details.

But changing the story completely so you can create drama?  Why bother with the original at all?

We honour people when we share their stories.  But since they’re using them to make money, Hollywood owes them the respect of getting it right.

Making a Veritas more admirable than that coveted Oscar.