There is something about the lives of the British monarchy that is compelling to watch, making shows such as “The Crown” and “Harry & Meghan” appealing to many.
Now the Netflix film “Scoop” casts the spotlight on another royal: Prince Andrew and his explosive BBC interview about his friendship with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Epstein, an American financier, was convicted for trafficking young women and one of his alleged victims, Virginia Roberts, claimed she had been sexually assaulted by Prince Andrew. In August 2019, Epstein reportedly took his own life in prison.
The film thus portrays how the BBC’s “Newsnight” team negotiated, secured and prepared for the interview held in November 2019 that, subsequently, led Prince Andrew to step back from his royal duties.
Viewers are introduced to Sam McAlister (Billie Piper), who secures interviews for “Newsnight”. She wears Chanel, carries Louis Vuitton bags, and is doggedly determined to land personalities that are hard to get.
Her tenacity pays off when she clinches an interview with Prince Andrew (Rufus Sewell) through his private secretary, Amanda Thirsk (Keeley Hawes).
McAlister then hands the baton to another power player on their team – Emily Maitlis (Gillian Anderson), who puts the Duke of York in the hot seat during the no-holds-barred interview.
Based on McAlister’s book titled “Scoops” – with an “S” – the film is directed by Bafta and Emmy winner Philip Martin (“The Crown”).
So, what works here? First off, “Scoop” is entertaining, largely because it can be fun to watch cracks in the seemingly impenetrable institution that is the British royal family. And given that Prince Andrew was reportedly his Mum’s favourite, it makes it all the more scandalous.
Then there are the performances. Both Anderson and Piper shine: Anderson, in particular, convincingly conveys Maitlis’ nerves and demonstrates how, despite their cool and calm demeanours on screen, TV presenters are only human.
Notably, the “X-Files” alumna played another strong woman, Margaret Thatcher, in “The Crown”.
The handsome Sewell also holds his own beside his female co-stars and is almost unrecognisable as the Duke of York – his sexy eyes being the only giveaway.
“Scoop” is also effective in showing how much work it takes to produce a groundbreaking interview. It involves persistence, a lot of strategising, and even courage to hold those in power accountable.
The highlight here, of course, is the interview, which is captured with remarkable accuracy, right down to Maitlis’ sitting pose. While the actual segment lasted for approximately 50 minutes, it has understandably been trimmed down to about 14 minutes in the film.
Viewers also gain insights into Prince Andrew’s life – for example, his reported affection for teddy bears, seen when he berates a maid for failing to arrange his treasured stuffed toys properly.
That said, if there is one scene that could have been omitted, it’s the one where the prince climbs out of the bath and gives viewers a full-on royal mooning.
But while “Scoop” dishes out moments that are gripping (will they ultimately get interview?) and cringe-inducing (see aforementioned butt scene), what is noticeably missing are the voices of the young women who were trafficked by Epstein.
Some might argue their perspectives aren’t the point of a movie like “Scoop”. But it matters because these young girls were scarred for life, and their accounts could arguably have added a great deal more depth to the film.
Perhaps this serves as a reminder that in chasing the scoop of the year, the heart of the story can still go missing.
That being said, “Scoop” is still worth a watch, so grab your popcorn (or ice cream) and enjoy the fact that the British royal family consists of deeply flawed human beings like the rest of the world, palaces notwithstanding.
‘Scoop’ is streaming on Netflix.