There is a significant reason to watch the documentary about Reality Winner -- the fact that the justice system, in its unbelievable lack of insight, is willing to sentence her to serve a 5-year prison term says volumes about the insidiousness of our twisted democratic ideals.
In Reality's case, when she found out that there was a definite attempt to manipulate the election by Russian insiders, her actions should be rewarded with a medal of honor -- instead, she was vilified and chastised for telling the American public that our country is being decimated by outside forces. What could possibly be more honorable? The mere suggestion that she was un-American is completely manipulated and false. Her intentions were nothing but selfless and attempts to rescue our democratic way of life.
But the Justice system does not see this case for what it is, a blatant attempt by the multi-headed hydra that is the Trump-era brand Republican movement to silence anyone that could be antithetical to the dictatorial regime that they would like to impose. So Reality had to be shut away from any news media, from anyone who could even give her any support, including her own family.
The documentary centers on Reality's Mom, Billie, who shows herself to be as selfless as her daughter and who works night and day to see that the case against her daughter is reversed, to no avail. Finally, we watch as Reality is silenced again and again, and the futility in Billie's face and voice is almost too difficult to witness.
Kudos to the micro crew that brought her story to the public, and the film is well put together, with only a couple of minor flaws. When Reality calls in (which is the only way we can hear her voice, since she is forbidden from talking to the media), we sometimes miss some words as a result of the tinny phone speaker. This is a minor issue, and could have been easily dealt with by adding some captions to the video.
One other, very minor point -- the name "Reality" is explained quite late in the film -- as one of the big questions in everyone's mind is, how did she ever win such a great name? Was it a trick of fate, or was she destined to be remembered for the amazing person she turned out to be?
