Even if you’ve never heard of Seymour Hersh, the subject of director Mark Obenhaus and Laura Poitras‘ documentary “Cover-Up,” you’ll find this to be one of the most gripping films ever made about journalism. This isn’t a story that dramatizes the newsroom grind or romanticizes the profession, but one that dives deep into the moral engine that drives one of the field’s fiercest truth tellers.
Hersh is a legendary investigative reporter who is well known in the news world for exposing some of the biggest scandals in American history, from My Lai and Watergate to questionable spy missions led by the CIA and the horrific abuses at Abu Ghraib. The documentary traces Hersh’s long career spent on the front lines of political journalism, a place where his work has peeled back layers of deceit that powerful institutions like the U.S. military and intelligence agencies have fought to keep hidden.
The documentary offers a sharp, unflinching look at the constant tug-of-war between truth and power, showing how systemic secrecy and self-preservation can rot the foundations of democracy. (Yeah, it’s timely). Hersh doesn’t mince words, and neither does the film. Through candid interviews, archival footage, and Hersh’s own reflections, the documentary makes a compelling case for why investigative journalism remains essential if we want to keep accountability a priority in this world.
What keeps the film from feeling like a lecture is Hersh himself. He’s prickly, funny, and refreshingly blunt, the kind of reporter who seems allergic to bullshit. Anyone who has ever worked in a newsroom knows the type. When the filmmakers push him, he pushes back, leading to moments that are tense, hilarious, and deeply human. There’s no airbrushed heroism here, just a portrait of a man who’s spent decades fighting institutions that would rather he didn’t exist and who somehow still has the firey spirit to keep going.
“Cover-Up” isn’t just a portrait of a lone reporter, but a celebration of curiosity, courage, and the desire to expose the darkest realities that those in power work so hard to keep buried. The truth is out there, and people like Hersh are a huge part of the reason we occasionally get to see it.
By: Louisa Moore
Screen Zealots 