Shattered Glass (2003)

Story portrayed as interestingly as possible. Christensen well-cast as someone reprehensible.

Long before Donald Trump became obsessed with fake news, there was Stephen Glass (here played by Hayden Christensen). Here is an ambitious and creative man who successfully manipulated the verification processes at Washington DC's prestigious "New Republic" magazine leading it to publish over twenty long form articles that had no basis in fact. It's only when the editor of a competing online outlet questions one of his own journalists - Adam Peneberg (Steve Zahn) as to why he didn't get the story, that some detailed investigations into his sources start to reveal a tissue of fantasy. The half lies and lies he tells grow into whoppers as his own editor Chuck Lane (Peter Sarsgaard) uses his own considerable investigative journalism skills and soon the young shyster is on the ropes. Christensen is good here - not phrase I will say often, and Billy Ray manages to makes us squirm a little as we feel the pressure mount on this serial journalistic fantasist. The fact that even his friends take him on face value, and are prepared to resign if he is ultimately fired proves just how much we take on trust until presented with a different fait-accompli! Certainly better than I was expecting.