We Steal Secrets: The Story of WikiLeaks
Alex Gibney’s provocative documentary traces WikiLeaks from radical publishing experiment to global controversy over secrecy, whistleblowing, and the ethics of disclosure.
Overview
A deep dive into the controversial world of information leaks and government secrecy.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- probing
- provocative
- paranoid
- political discussion
- current affairs viewing
What critics said
Critics broadly found the documentary fascinating, provocative, complex, and skillfully assembled, while some questioned its perspective and timing.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The film centers on WikiLeaks disclosures, classified information, government secrecy, and the competing claims of public accountability and national security.
Interviews with supporters, critics, experts, adversaries, and participants frame disputes over Assange, Manning, factual accuracy, and the meaning of the leaks.
Julian Assange's WikiLeaks operation and Chelsea Manning's document leak are traced as connected but distinct strands.
The film's subject matter, archival footage, and focus on hacked or leaked government information create a contemporary atmosphere of secrecy and suspicion.
Films like We Steal Secrets: The Story of WikiLeaks, and why
The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers
investigative documentary treatment of government secrecy, national security, and institutional power
Citizenfour
probing documentary examination of surveillance, state power, and contested political narratives
All the President's Men
journalistic investigation structured around secrecy, whistleblowing, and government misconduct
Movie Details
- Director
- Alex Gibney
- Release Date
- 2013-05-24
- Runtime
- 127 min
- Rating
- 6.5 / 10 (170)
Cast
- Julian Assange
- Chelsea Manning
- Heather Brooke
- Alex Gibney
- Robert Manne
- John 'Fuzface' McMahon
- Michael Hayden
- J. William Leonard
- Daniel Domscheit-Berg
- Smári McCarthy
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is We Steal Secrets: The Story of WikiLeaks about?
- Alex Gibney’s provocative documentary traces WikiLeaks from radical publishing experiment to global controversy over secrecy, whistleblowing, and the ethics of disclosure.
- What is We Steal Secrets: The Story of WikiLeaks like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of We Steal Secrets: The Story of WikiLeaks as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is We Steal Secrets: The Story of WikiLeaks violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in We Steal Secrets: The Story of WikiLeaks as mild.
- What did critics think of We Steal Secrets: The Story of WikiLeaks?
- Critics broadly found the documentary fascinating, provocative, complex, and skillfully assembled, while some questioned its perspective and timing.
- Which films are like We Steal Secrets: The Story of WikiLeaks?
- Films with a similar feel include The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers, Citizenfour, and All the President's Men.
- How long is We Steal Secrets: The Story of WikiLeaks?
- We Steal Secrets: The Story of WikiLeaks runs 127 minutes.
- Where can I watch We Steal Secrets: The Story of WikiLeaks?
- In United States, We Steal Secrets: The Story of WikiLeaks is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
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