10 Best Movies About Journalism

Films about news and the media are a challenge to tackle creatively, as they focus on the complicated, and at times, tedious, world of journalism. However, these films about the stories behind the stories can make for a captivating watch, appealing to a wide variety of audiences who consume news on a daily basis. Whether it be a hard-hitting investigative journalism movie, or a satirical depiction of life inside a busy newsroom with all of its politics and drama, a good journalism film pays homage to the craft with a well-written narrative.

For example, incredible and relevant stories like the one enacted by She Said's cast highlight the process of reporting on groundbreaking cases, such as the Harvey Weinstein scandal, while lighter comedies like His Girl Friday add a roster of comedic characters alongside the central investigative plot line. In the end, journalism films remind audiences of the power of the news cycle, pulling behind the curtain on one of the most fast-paced and high-stakes work environments.

10 Anchorman: The Legend Of Ron Burgundy (2004)

Directed By Adam McKay

Fans of Will Ferrell's best movies and his comedy style will enjoy one of his most famous performances as news anchor Ron Burgundy in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy. Set in sunny San Diego in the 1970s, this film tells the story of Ron, the top-rated reporter, whose job is threatened by the entrance of a smarter female associate and co-anchor.

Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy is a slapstick comedy satirizing the world of broadcast journalism with a hilarious cast of characters and scenarios. For example, notable names in comedy, like Steve Carell, Paul Rudd, and Christina Applegate play some of the main reporters. Despite Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy having many funny moments, it does touch on notable issues and themes, such as sexism in the workplace and workplace misconduct, real problems that still plague newsrooms today. In the end, it is hard not to laugh at the film's diva-filled world of broadcast journalism.

9 Shattered Glass (2003)

Directed By Billy Ray

Shattered Glass is one of the many journalism-focused biopic films, based on the appalling true story of Stephen Glass (Hayden Christensen), a real reporter for The New Republic magazine. The film sheds light on his deception and scam of the magazine, when it was discovered that he fabricated over half of his stories in the hopes of gaining fame and influence at the company.

Shattered Glass may be a biopic about Stephen's successful lies and breach of journalistic integrity, but its deeper meanings transcend this. This is one of Hayden Christensen's best roles, ashe plays the manipulative reporter who exploits the American public's love of the sensationalist media, catering to this phenomenon and creating many falsified stories.Because of this, Shattered Glass serves as a haunting reminder of the importance of fact-checking and accuracy in the news, casting a critical eye also on how newsroom dynamics and hierarchies contribute to this.

8 Almost Famous (2000)

Directed By Cameron Crowe

Almost Famous is both a love letter to journalism and to the music industry. This classic coming-of-age tells the story of a high school boy, William (Patrick Fugit), who is given the opportunity to write for Rolling Stone Magazine by following a band. Along the way, William's reporting is complicated by his involvement with his new musician friends. It's no wonder why the movie is a beloved cult classic, from its colorful characters to the exciting 1970s setting paired with Almost Famous' well-known soundtrack.

The world of entertainment journalism is rarely featured in Hollywood's journalism stories, and Almost Famous accurately illustrates the journalistic dilemma of reporting fairly when personal relationships become involved. By the end, though William fulfills his job of reporting the story, his presence and role help the bandmates and their inner circle to remember what is most important to them amidst the dizzying world of fame and entertainment.

7 She Said (2022)

Directed By Maria Schrader

One of the newer journalism films is She Said, the 2022 Maria Schrader film about breaking the Harvey Weinstein story. The film follows the two female journalists from the New York Times, Megan Twohey and Jodi Kantor, who risked their jobs and safety to expose the case that cracked Hollywood open. Needless to say, She Said is a gripping watch.

Beyond the actual story being based on recent events, Jodi and Megan's incredible uphill battle to publish the article is cinematic as is, and the echoes of their work can still be felt strongly, as evidenced by the #MeToo movement. Because of this, She Said is a testament to the importance of journalism in exposing the abuse of power in high places. Zoe Kazan and Carey Mulligan give convincing performances as the two reporters, and She Said accurately depicts the laborious and tedious process of breaking the Harvey Weinstein investigative piece.

6 His Girl Friday (1940)

Directed By Howard Hawks

His Girl Friday is a Hollywood classic from its golden age, featuring a star-studded cast and a highly stylized story. This journalism film depicts a newspaper editor, Walter Burns (Cary Grant), who uses a high-profile case to entice his ex-wife and fellow reporter, Hildy (Rosalind Russel), who is considering remarrying and leaving the company.

Though His Girl Friday is a comedy, the film still highlights serious matters, such as the wrongful conviction and attempted execution of a man who is accused of murdering a police officer. By reporting accurately and fairly, Hildy and Walter are able to save him from the gallows. Along the way, an entertaining love story between the leads adds to the charm of this film. Not to mention, His Girl Friday's famous snappy and overlapping dialogue adds a sense of realism and excitement that mimics that of a newsroom.

5 Network (1976)

Directed By Sidney Lumet

The 1976 film Network is a riot that discusses larger issues about the public's relationship to the news media cycle. Specifically, this is achieved through Lumet's story about a television network that exploits the ravings of its former anchor, Howard Beale (Peter Finch), to garner attention and high ratings from the American public. Thus, Network is a dark comedy with serious implications about the public's attraction to sensationalist and extreme news stories.

This is made apparent by the increased antics that Howard and a programmer for the network, Diana Christensen (played by Faye Dunaway in one of her best roles), use as a shock factor to hook audiences who are tuning in each week. Though Network isn't based on a true story, its clever script, convincing performances, and haunting message demonstrate that its narrative could easily happen in real life, if it occurred under the right circumstances.

4 The Post (2017)

Directed By Steven Spielberg

Steven Spielberg'sThe Post discusses the incredible true story behind the breaking of the Pentagon Papers case. The film focuses on Katherine Graham (Meryl Streep), the first female newspaper publisher, and Ben Bradlee (Tom Hanks), an editor from The Washington Post, who exposed the U.S. government's wrongful handling of the Vietnam War. This biopic, is unsurprisingly, a heavy and complex watch.

However, Spielberg does an accurate and thorough job of detailing how difficult it was to make and break the story when following traditional journalism standards, spanning multiple presidencies and roughly 20 years. Because of this,The Post touches on the importance of clever reporting exposing even the highest of places in the United States government when it comes to secrecy and censorship. Not to mention, both A-list leads deliver grounded performances as their respective real-life characters.

3 Spotlight (2015)

Directed By Tom McCarthy

One of the best movies based on a true story out there is the Best Picture winner Spotlight. This story follows the journalists at TheBoston Globe, who helped to uncover a story of molestation that occurred at a local Catholic Archdiocese. Eventually, this revealed a disturbing pattern of covering up child abuse within the Catholic Church that is still being discussed today. Spotlight is an undeniably difficult and upsetting watch due to its subject matter and realism.

Like many other journalism biopics, this one also emphasizes investigative reporting's ability and responsibility to expose and call out abuses of power in high places. With high emotional and moral stakes, Spotlight is the kind of film that audiences are quickly emotionally invested in. The film's impressive cast, including names like Mark Ruffalo in one of his best movies, and Michael Keaton, deliver realistic, grounded performances that draw audiences in.

2 All The President's Men (1976)

Directed By Alan J. Pakula

Another groundbreaking Washington Post case is chronicled in All the President's Men. In this instance, the film covers the journey of reporters Bob Woodward (Robert Redford) and Carl Bernstein (Dustin Hoffman), who discovered the Watergate scandal that caused Richard Nixon to resign.

There are few historical moments in the American media that have been as defining as the reveal of the Watergate scandal, and it is no surprise that Alan J. Pakula's film on the subject is equally compelling. Both Redford and Hoffman execute their roles masterfully, showing the stress and drama this case caused during the investigation process that led to the groundbreaking moment in American politics. In the end, All the President's Men is an homage to one of journalism's best triumphs over corruption and falsehood in American politics.

1 Citizen Kane (1941)

Directed By Orson Welles

Orson Welles' Citizen Kane is widely regarded as one of the most influential and possibly the best in cinema history. The film follows a set of reporters who investigate the meaning behind the last words of a publishing mogul, Charles Foster Kane, "Rosebud." Along the way, they discover more about Kane's life and rise to fame in the media and his moral struggles along the way. Citizen Kane is a character study, yet his story has larger implications for corruption, ambition, and influence.

After all, the mystery of "Rosebud" is revealed to be Kane's childhood sled, symbolizing the innocence and passion he had as a child before it was corrupted by his desire for influence as a media tycoon. Besides Citizen Kane's meaning of Rosebud, the film uses groundbreaking cinematography and a non-linear story based in flashbacks, all of which make the film stand out as a narrative masterpiece and groundbreaking work.

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