‘Reality’ Check: Unpacking Sydney Sweeney’s Newest Film
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Reality Winner is the real name of a real human, played by Sydney Sweeney in HBO’s latest original film. Let’s start there. Reality Winner is a former member of the Air Force and translator for the National Security Agency, fluent in Farsi, Dari, and Pashto. In 2018, Winner was found guilty of leaking a confidential intelligence report and received more than five years in prison, the longest sentence ever imposed for such a transgression. So, what did she leak?
In June 2017, Winner was arrested under suspicion of leaking a report related to the 2016 U.S. election, specifically the presence of Russian interference. The report contained evidence of Russian hackers accessing voter registration programs across the country, though it did not categorically prove any voting data was manipulated, simply accessed.
This is the case that unfolds in Reality, written and directed by Tina Satter, who previously adapted the story to the stage. Both the play and the film were directly adapted from FBI interrogation transcripts, and as such, the only other main characters in the film are FBI agents, played by Marchánt Davis and Josh Hamilton. Sydney Sweeney’s performance as Reality Winner is unflinching and grounded.
In reality and Reality, Winner did leak the report, sending it to alternative news outlet, The Intercept. The films faithfulness to the interrogation records makes for a highly uncomfortable watch. Reality Winner, unendingly patient and compliant with the many imposing men rummaging around her house in search of something unknown, was not told the reason for the search of her home for more than 80 minutes. Of course, she knew what they were there for, only we didn’t.
The FBI agents make casual conversation with Winner about everything other than the matter at hand. When she informs them of weapons inside the house, they ask if they are pink. They discuss her CrossFit training, the size of her cat, repeatedly offer her water and chairs, and make an anxiety-inducing issue of finding a “private” place to speak. All the while, Winner remains completely calm, engaging with the men as one government employee to another.
When it finally does come time to talk about the breach, the film employs an artistic and intentional repeated glitch, keeping the audience in the dark regarding the contents and subject of the leaked report.
What ultimately comes to light is that Winner, a linguist whose intelligence jurisdiction is limited to Iranian air space, searched for classified reports related to Russian election hacking in 2016. She then printed a report, folded it in half, and mailed it to The Intercept.
The news outlet has since been criticized for their handling of the classified records. The general belief in the world of journalism is that investigative news reporters have a responsibility to protect whistleblowers.
By the end of the film, Reality Winner is arrested. While Winner sat in prison, Congress referenced the report she released and media conglomerates continued using it as a source of news. The world went on, and Winner paid the price. The final shots feature on screen text reading a quote from Winner, “I knew it was secret. But I also knew I had pledged my service to the American people.”
One of the great things about Reality is its lack of bias. The audience is not pushed to feel any which way about what Winner did. Your opinion on the matter will depend on your opinion of whistleblowers, how highly you value information, and how much you distrust the government. Reality is real and, it’s plainly said, it won’t hold your hand.
‘Reality’ is currently streaming on Max.
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