There are documentarians and then there are storytellers, and Errol Morris firmly fits in the latter category. While the director is best known for efforts like “Gates Of Heaven,” “The Fog Of War,” and “A Brief History Of Time,” his latest effort “Wormwood” probably falls more in line with his docu-drama classic, “The Thin Blue Line.” And Netflix has given the legendary filmmaker six episodes to unfold this fascinating story.
Starring Peter Sarsgaard, Christian Camargo, Scott Shepherd, Molly Parker, Jimmi Simpson, Bob Balaban, Tim Blake Nelson, John Doman, Hillary Gardner, Michael Chernus, Jack O’Connell (not the one you think), and Chance Kelly, the series tells a true story involving the CIA, LSD, mind control and death. If that’s not enough of a hook, here’s the synopsis:
Directed by boundary-breaking filmmaker Errol Morris, Wormwood explores the limits of knowledge about the past and the lengths we’ll go in our search for the truth. A twisting, evolving story of one man’s sixty-year quest to identify the circumstances of his father’s mysterious death. Combining a virtuosic performance by Peter Sarsgaard with Morris’ legendary interview style, Wormwood examines this case from every possible angle, bringing the viewer face-to-face with some of the United States’ darkest secrets. Wormwood sets a new standard for nonfiction filmmaking and finds Morris working on his grandest canvas yet.
For Morris, “Wormwood” is a chance to explore the cost of pursuing the truth, especially when it’s protected by higher powers. Here’s his director’s statement:
Isn’t journalism the pursuit of truth? But what if the truth proves to be elusive, hard to get at? How far does one go? Where does one stop? Are there limits, emotional and otherwise, to the pursuit of truth? Can it be injurious to one’s health? Here we have the story of one man’s sixty year quest to identify the circumstances of his father’s death. Did he jump from a hotel window? Or was he pushed? And if he was pushed, why? What for? A shadowy world of hidden and imagined intentions coupled with dark and horrifying revelations. In many ways, a personal family story, but in many other ways, a story of America’s decline in the period following World War II. It asks the question: To what extent can a democracy lie to its citizens and still, in the end, remain a democracy?
“Wormwood” hits Netflix on December 15th, or can you watch in a movie format in cinemas on the same day. Yep, it’s a series and a movie, so choose your flavor.