Kill the Messenger (2014): Ratings, Box Office, Plot & Where to Watch
Kill the Messenger is a 2014 biographical thriller directed by Michael Cuesta. It runs 1 hour 52 minutes and earned $5.2 million worldwide. Critics gave it 76% on Rotten Tomatoes and 60 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 6.9/10. Stream it on YouTube Free, or rent or buy it on Amazon Video and Apple TV Store.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 52m (112 min)
- Director
- Michael Cuesta
- Original language
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English - Studio
- Focus Features
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is Kill the Messenger About?
The premise of Kill the Messenger without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
Investigative journalist Gary Webb’s relentless pursuit of a story leads him to uncover a disturbing connection between CIA-backed drug cartels and the crack epidemic’s impact on American communities. Facing intimidation and warnings as he digs deeper, Webb confronts a complex network of deceit and powerful forces determined to silence him. His determination to expose the truth places him in grave danger, forcing him to navigate a treacherous path fraught with risk.
Kill the Messenger Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- based on true story
- journalist
- nicaraguan contras
- smear campaign
- cocaine
- government cover up
- u.s. government
- reporter
- investigative journalism
- cover up
- drug smuggling
- media manipulation
+38 more Show fewer
- crack cocaine
- money laundering
- arms deal
- intimidation
- conspiracy
- nicaragua
- ghetto
- politics
- san jose mercury news the newspaper
- california
- eyeglasses
- family relationships
- husband wife relationship
- braggadocio
- 1990s
- investigative reporter
- drug smuggler
- 1980s
- cocaine smuggler
- urban setting
- iran contra
- inner city
- cia drug trafficking
- clandestine
- clandestine operation
- iran contra affair
- reference to iran contra affair
- iran contra scandal
- reference to the contras of nicaragua
- contras
- reference to the iran contra scandal
- black ops
- black operation
- media bias
- f word
- cia central intelligence agency
- south central
- south central los angeles
Where to Watch Kill the Messenger
Stream it on YouTube Free, or rent or buy it from Amazon Video and Apple TV Store. US availability and prices from JustWatch.
Stream 1
YouTube Free 
Streaming availability in the US, powered by 
The Director of Kill the Messenger
Directed by Michael Cuesta.
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Director Michael Cuesta
Kill the Messenger Reviews & Ratings
Critics gave Kill the Messenger 76% on Rotten Tomatoes and 60 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 6.9/10.
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IMDb 6.9 /10
See on IMDb -
Rotten Tomatoes 76% Tomatometer
Popcornmeter 69%
See on Rotten Tomatoes -
Metacritic 60 Metascore
User score 7.1
See on Metacritic -
TMDB 66% User score
See on TMDB -
Movie Insider 3.5 /5
See on Movie Insider
Kill the Messenger Plot Summary
What happens in Kill the Messenger from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 13 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
In the mid-1990s, a San Jose Mercury News investigation kicks off when Gary Webb, a dedicated reporter, sits down with Ronny Quail, a drug dealer furious that civil asset forfeiture allowed the government to keep his house even after an acquittal. Webb’s probing about forfeiture abuses grows into a broader inquiry as a woman named Coral repeatedly reaches out, claiming to have documents that prove the government backed cocaine trafficking in the United States. Coral hands Webb a transcript of grand jury testimony—normally sealed—accidentally released to her boyfriend during discovery, a critical clue that starts to illuminate a much larger, unsettling pattern. When Webb reveals the existence of the transcript to a prosecutor, charges against Coral’s boyfriend are dropped, seemingly to protect the main witness: Oscar Danilo Blandón.
Full summary
The whole story of Kill the Messenger, scene by scene
Kill the Messenger Box Office
Kill the Messenger grossed $5.2 million worldwide. $2.5 million came from the US and Canada and $2.8 million (53%) from the rest of the world.
Worldwide gross
$5.2M
- US & Canada
- $2.5M
- International
- $2.8M
Kill the Messenger Trailers & Videos
4 videos: 2 trailers and 2 clips.
- Trailer Official UK Trailer
- Clip Biggest Story
- Clip I'm Writing The Story
How Well Do You Know Kill the Messenger?
9 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 9
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
What newspaper does Gary Webb work for when he begins his investigation?
Cars in Kill the Messenger
30 cars on screen, including the 1986 Honda VF 500 F Interceptor and the 1979 Jeep CJ-7.
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1986 Honda VF 500 F Interceptor Important role -
1979 Jeep CJ-7 Important role -
1986 Mercedes-Benz 560 SEL W126 Important role -
1970 Triumph TR 6 C Trophy 650 Important role
Seen Kill the Messenger?
Movies Like Kill the Messenger
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including The Messenger, Under Fire and The Last Narc.
Kill the Messenger FAQ: Where to Watch, Box Office & Runtime
Runtime, release date, director, where to watch, box office, ratings and post-credit scenes of Kill the Messenger, each answered in a sentence.
How long is Kill the Messenger?
Kill the Messenger runs 1 hour 52 minutes (112 minutes).
When was Kill the Messenger released?
Kill the Messenger was released on October 10, 2014.
Who directed Kill the Messenger?
Kill the Messenger was directed by Michael Cuesta.
More films by Michael Cuesta Where can I watch Kill the Messenger?
In the US, Kill the Messenger is streaming on YouTube Free and available to rent or buy on Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Fandango At Home (availability from JustWatch).
How much did Kill the Messenger make at the box office?
Kill the Messenger grossed $5.2 million worldwide ($2.5 million domestic, $2.8 million international).
How is Kill the Messenger rated?
Kill the Messenger has 6.9/10 on IMDb, 76% on Rotten Tomatoes, 60 on Metacritic and 66% on TMDB.
Does Kill the Messenger have a post-credit scene?
No. Kill the Messenger has no extra scene during or after the credits.
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