SCOOP -- Royally Screwed

Review by Joseph Fayed

Photo Credit: Peter Mountain/Netflix.

​One of the biggest news stories of 2019 was the arrest of Jeffrey Epstein for sex trafficking minors. Once his downfall became public, scrutiny grew onto his ultra-wealthy and/or famous associates who had spent a great deal of time with Epstein. One such friend was Prince Andrew. Scoop follows a team of producers who tried to get ahead of the developing story and land an exclusive interview with the Duke of York, who is unsure of how to rehabilitate his image. This biopic has many gotcha moments but gets too stuck in its format to make this dramatic retelling any more captivating. 
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The film follows the crew of the BBC news program Newsnight, who, amidst the ongoing scandal with Jeffrey Epstein, decide to shift their focus onto Prince Andrew's ties to Epstein. Previously, their affiliation with each other had been nothing more than tabloid filler. However, upon accuser Virginia Roberts coming forward to share her story, news producer Sam McAlister (Billie Piper) and anchor Emily Maitlis (Gillian Anderson) race to be the first to get the Prince's thoughts on the allegations. In the meantime, those working for the Prince question if speaking out is really the right move for him. 

The characterization of Sam McAlister feels a tad bit like she is trying to Girlboss up the ranks of British television. She makes it her top priority to secure this interview, and we see her in action pursuing that, but it is very tame. Sam isn't written to be so ruthless that it's comical, like this archetype typically is. Instead, she's too reserved to have much focus on her. In what's arguably the greatest highlight of her career, she is reduced to essentially saying, "This is your reputation now, Andrew; let us know if you want to chat by Monday." It's not the mic drop moment it was intended to be, and once the interview actually takes place towards the end of the film, Sam is not much else besides background noise despite her crucial role in making it all possible.

Photo Credit: Peter Mountain/Netflix.

Gillian Anderson's ability to not make herself appear complacent regarding her big Prince Andrew interview is a warm welcome. For a film about a team of people working in the media, the journalist asking the tough questions is the only one less interested in the sensational elements of the story. There is a particular line of dialogue about another associate of Epstein that Emily says that I would have liked to see be explored further. Emily's reputation as a soft but hard interviewer is touched upon when she speaks to Prince Andrew and his staff beforehand. Still, in a story about abuse, it should be explained why she was perceived that way by someone who has such a high profile. 

The sheer details about the accusations against Epstein don't receive too much focus here, which I could understand because it is not a story about his victims ultimately. While these allegations were not breaking news at the time of the Newsnight interview, a closer examination of how the Royal Palace would have reacted would have helped expand the story. You can't convince me that the only person around Prince Andrew regularly who is worried for him is his secretary. Not showing more of the palace in full-on crisis mode leading up to the interview was an inaccurate look at how an institution handles itself. Even seeing direct communications from Queen Elizabeth — an unseen character in this — would have better reflected the reality of the PR nightmare Prince Andrew landed himself in than what we were shown. 

In Scoop, we hear from the man at the center of a sensationalized story whose behavior during an interview became worldwide news. The reenactment of that interview is done very well, but those storylines behind the scenes of Newsnight and the Royal Palace go nowhere. What we are left with is that this highly anticipated expose came together like a fluff piece in a matter of days. The BBC and the Royal Palace get too much of a pass here, and it's disappointing because this was a groundbreaking moment for investigative journalism and the monarchy that was heavily underutilized. 

Scoop streams on Netflix beginning April 5.​

Rating: 2.5/5