THE WHISTLEBLOWER

Human trafficking and the sex trade have long remained fairly low on the list of international issues, and this debut thriller by Canadian director Larysa Kondracki goes some way towards revealing the corruption behind this industry. Kathryn Bolkovac (Rachael Weisz), a divorced, overworked cop who has lost custody of her daughter, is given a chance to make things better with a well-paid job with the United Nations force in Bosnia. Accidentally, and by virtue of her curiosity, she starts to uncover evidence the involvement of international workers evidence of sex trafficking. The interesting, if traumatising, true story of Bolkovac is brilliantly portrayed by Weisz in this debut thriller.  Although it plays, at times, like television, and could leave more room for the audience to think about the characters’ motivations, the fascinating and difficult subject this film deals with is engaging and will surely keep viewers on the edge. (HP) *** ½