Special Correspondents
A cocky radio reporter and his timid sound engineer turn a passport mishap into an elaborate fake war-reporting con from New York.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Mild
- Complexity
- Simple
- Violence
- None
- irreverent
- witty
- cynical
- lazy sunday
- comedy night
What critics said
Critics broadly found the media satire undermined by feeble writing, two-dimensional characters, and toothless comic execution.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Albert and Frank simulate coverage of an Ecuadorian civil war from New York after losing their passports.
The protagonists’ fabricated radio reports become a public-facing success despite their absence from Ecuador.
Frank Bonneville’s cocky reporter persona contrasts with Albert Finch’s meek sound-engineer identity throughout the con.
The initial passport problem develops into an increasingly difficult false account of events overseas.
Films like Special Correspondents, and why
Broadcast News
shared media satire, incompetent protagonists, and caustic workplace comedy
Wag the Dog
shared fake-news premise, comic deception, and cynical media-world humor
The Informant!
shared fish-out-of-water comedy, fraud-driven plot, and mismatched male partnership
The Year of the Gun
shared newsroom satire, morally compromised ambition, and dark comic tone
Movie Details
- Director
- Ricky Gervais
- Release Date
- 2016-04-22
- Runtime
- 100 min
- Rating
- 5.8 / 10 (577)
Cast
- Ricky Gervais
- Eric Bana
- Vera Farmiga
- Kelly Macdonald
- Benjamin Bratt
- Raúl Castillo
- America Ferrera
- Meghan Heffern
- Kevin Pollak
- Mimi Kuzyk
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Special Correspondents about?
- A cocky radio reporter and his timid sound engineer turn a passport mishap into an elaborate fake war-reporting con from New York.
- What is Special Correspondents like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Special Correspondents as brisk, its intensity as mild and its storytelling as simple.
- Is Special Correspondents violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Special Correspondents.
- What did critics think of Special Correspondents?
- Critics broadly found the media satire undermined by feeble writing, two-dimensional characters, and toothless comic execution.
- Which films are like Special Correspondents?
- Films with a similar feel include Broadcast News, Wag the Dog, The Informant!, and The Year of the Gun.
- How long is Special Correspondents?
- Special Correspondents runs 100 minutes.
- Where can I watch Special Correspondents?
- In United States, Special Correspondents streams on Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads.
