Early death is often seen as a path to immortality, a sad reality that extends beyond actors and pop stars to include news anchors, as demonstrated by the life of Jessica Savitch. The first woman-anchor in America, Savitch's story was brought to the screen in the 1995 television biopic Almost Golden: The Jessica Savitch Story, directed by Peter Werner.
The plot, based on Linda Wagner's book, follows young Jessica Savitch (portrayed by Sela Ward) in early 1970s Texas as she embarks on a journalism career to honor her father, a respected journalist. Despite starting at a Houston TV station, her career takes off when her lover and mentor Ron (played by Ron Silver) sends her to Washington, where she becomes a beloved television personality. However, her rapid success fuels unrealistic ambitions, leading to failed marriages, alcoholism, and drug addiction.
While Jessica Savitch's life is undoubtedly intriguing, this biopic fails to capture its essence. Like many others in the genre, it struggles to condense decades of a life into a 90-minute format, resulting in shallow character development and simplistic narratives. Ward does her best to embody the television icon, but her performance falls flat, particularly in scenes with the lackluster Silver. Ultimately, Almost Golden squanders a compelling story that could have been better told in documentary form.
RATING: 2/10 (-)
(Note: The original text was posted in the Usenet newsgroup rec.arts.movies.reviews on November 18th, 2002)
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