Winner* is an absolute triumph in storytelling. The script is tight, intense, and keeps you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. The plot revolves around a young woman caught in a web of betrayal, navigating a world of corruption and deceit. The lead actress delivers a powerhouse performance, capturing every emotion with depth and conviction. Her portrayal of a conflicted and determined woman truly elevates the entire film.

The political intrigue and moral dilemmas make the movie all the more captivating. You can't help but root for the protagonist, even as she walks the fine line between right and wrong. The direction is sharp, the dialogue gripping, and the stakes feel incredibly high throughout.

**A Vignette if This Happened in Malaysia** If *Winner* had been set in my homeland of Malaysia, the story would have taken a far darker turn. The lead character's actions-essentially acts of treason against the state-would've had severe consequences here. Treason is treated with utmost seriousness, and in Malaysia, such acts could easily result in the death penalty. The tension of the film would be even more heightened, as the stakes are not just career-ending or reputation-destroying but life-threatening. The cultural and legal context would make *Winner* an even more intense watch, adding a layer of realism and peril that hits much closer to home.

It's very humourous, and tells a very human story of an activist and person with a strong moral compass. If there were more people like her. We'd have fewer wars and stop hemmoraging money we need to fix this country and help the impoverished. Instead of funding needless conflicts and army bases all over the world. Instead of punishing whistleblowers we condemn and imprison them for speaking out against against secretive government policies that overall make us all less safe and less free. People live in their own echo chambers and have refused to read books or listen to other points of view from those who live in other countries, especially the ones we devastate with our bombs, just because we want their oil or they refuse to obey us.

If you have seen the HBO production 'reality' then you may think, why bother to watch this version of the story of Reality Winner? Well this one has a much lighter, even comedic touch to it, they are both very different experiences. Whilst the HBO version may be more realistic in its presentation, 'Winner' is ultimately the more affecting of the two in my opinion. It could stand on its own as a film about a rebellious teen, and would be enjoyably involving, moving and thought provoking. However accurate it comes to portraying the facts and experiences of the situation, one thing is certain, it gets across the message regarding the state of the political, judicial and intelligence sectors of the USA. Which all, depending on your biases, are truly lacking. Maybe not so much as in even the majority of other countries, but certainly far from that aspirational 'Shining City on a Hill' mantra.

It's deeply ironic that a young ex forces woman was jailed for years for printing out a few pages, when the person who was the beneficiary of the Russian interference she wished to highlight, had boxes full of top secret documents he had stolen as a private citizen in his toilet, yet will likely never even see the inside of a prison cell?

This is a highly entertaining film, watch it.