Bethany Lee
Exclusive scoops, gritty investigations, and tense deadlines – the world of journalism is the perfect backdrop for the big screen.
It’s an industry that never sleeps, with twists and drama unfolding on the world stage every day. So, it’s no wonder the sphere of journalism makes for some juicy film plots.
Whether the newsroom is a backdrop for personal drama or the centre of an explosive story, there are hundreds of films with some kind of journalistic theme.
But which are worth watching?
Here is a list of some of the best journalism films. They are separated into weirdly-specific-common categories: from the gritty serious ones to the romcoms following a central character with a vague journalistic job.
GRITTY AND SERIOUS FILMS ABOUT JOURNALISM
Citizen Kane (Orson Welles, 1941)
Frequently hailed as one of the best films of all time, Citizen Kane follows newspaper magnate Charles Foster Kane, providing a critical commentary on media ownership.
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The Front Page (Billy Wilder, 1974)
Another oldie but a goodie, this Chicago newsroom drama follows a journalist who plans to leave the profession but gets roped into covering one final major news story when a famous criminal escapes prison before his execution.
The Pelican Brief (Alan J. Pakula, 1993)
Julia Roberts is the star of this thriller, portraying a law student who becomes a target after predicting murderers’ motives. She joins forces with an investigative journalist (Denzel Washington), entangling them in a web of mystery and danger.
MORE SERIOUS JOURNALISM FILMS BUT MADE IN THE 2010s – 2020s
Kill the Messenger (Michael Cuesta, 2014)
Kill the Messenger follows a journalist who finds evidence that the CIA were profiting off of dealers bringing cocaine into the U.S. As he continues uncovering the truth behind this government scandal, him and his family’s lives become at risk.
Nightcrawler (Dan Gilroy, 2014)
Jake Gyllenhaal portrays a photography journalist who rushes to crime scenes. As the film progresses, his moral compass blurs and themes of sensationalism take over, asking the ever-present question: how far can you go to capture the perfect story?
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Spotlight (Tom McCarthy, 2015)
This ensemble film follows The Boston Globe’s news team as they investigate a priest accused of abuse, leading to a never-ending trail of cover-ups within the Catholic Church. It is a brilliant depiction of how journalism, where done right, can uncover necessary truths.
The Post (Steven Spielberg, 2017)
The Post features another star-studded cast as Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks lead The Washington Post’s team to expose a US government cover-up. We now know this scandal as ‘The Pentagon Papers’.
She Said (Maria Schrader, 2022)
In this impactful piece, two driven New York Times journalists investigate Harvey Weinstein’s sexual assault allegations. This true story was the catalyst of the #MeToo movement in Hollywood
Scoop (Philip Martin, 2024)
This retelling of Prince Andrew’s infamous interview follows Newsnight’s journalists as they gain the Prince’s trust and question his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein.
September 5 (Tim Fehlbaum, 2025)
A recent release, September 5 looks back to the 1972 Munich Olympics. When Israel’s team gets taken hostage, ABC’s sports journalists must switch their coverage to hard news.
QUIRKY FILMS LOOSELY ABOUT JOURNALISM
Sleepless in Seattle (Nora Ephron, 1993)
This timeless classic starts with a young boy calling a radio talk show for his recently widowed dad. Listening in is a reporter who becomes enamoured by the story, and the guy behind it.
Groundhog Day (Harold Ramis, 1993)
Next, another classic that very-loosely follows a journalistic theme. Bill Murray plays a grumpy weatherman who is stuck in a seemingly never-ending loop!
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Never Been Kissed (Raja Gosnell, 1999)
A newspaper reporter goes undercover at a high school for a story and quickly finds herself reverting to her awkward younger self.
Almost Famous (Cameron Crowe, 2000)
Diving into the world of rock music journalism, Almost Famous follows a young aspiring journalist, William, who joins a band on tour for an assignment with Rolling Stone.
THE BEST JOURNALISM ROMCOMS
How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (Donald Petrie, 2003)
Now for, perhaps, THE journalism film (in this writer’s humble opinion). This romcom follows magazine writer Andie Anderson (Kate Hudson) and advertiser Benjamin Barry (Matthew McConaughey) who are unknowingly using each other for separate assignments.
13 Going On 30 (Gary Winick, 2004)
When Jennifer Garner’s character makes a wish to be older, she wakes up both 30-year-olds and the Editor of her favourite magazine – but it’s about to go bust!
Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason (2004)
The first thing that comes to mind when you think of Bridget Jones might not be journalism, but throughout the series of films she works in various roles from TV presenter to news producer. Fun fact: did you know the character originates from a column in The Independent?
The Devil Wears Prada (David Frankel, 2006)
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Featured image courtesy of Thomas Charters on Unsplash. Image license can be found here. No changes have been made to this image.
Bethany Lee
Bethany is a multimedia journalist with a MA in Journalism. She is currently a Cultural Affairs Editor at Empoword!