Review: September 5

Tim Fehlbaum’s drama is a thrilling look at journalism ethics and innovation.

September 5 would make a fascinating double feature with All the President’s Men.

Alan Pakula’s 1976 classic is an ode to painstakingly precise investigative reporting. It shows Woodward and Bernstein piecing together the Watergate story with relentless research, methodical interviews and tireless fact-checking. It’s journalism at its most deliberate and disciplined.

But September 5, which covers events taking place just a few months after the Watergate break in, thrusts viewers into a newsroom where time and research are luxuries no one can afford. Taking place just months after the Watergate break-in, it captures a shift in journalism as it moves from print to TV, and offers a gripping, claustrophobic glimpse into the chaos of covering a global crisis as it unfolds in real time.

Set during the 1972 Munich Olympics – one of the first major events broadcast live via satellite – the story begins on Sept. 5, when a group of Palestinian terrorists stormed the Olympic Village and took Israeli athletes hostage. The crisis, broadcast live to an estimated 900 million viewers, transformed the role of media forever. This harrowing event has inspired multiple films, including the Oscar-winning documentary One Day in September and Spielberg’s Munich. But September 5 stays laser-focused on the newsroom itself, zeroing in on the staff at ABC Sports headquarters, located so close to the scene they could hear the gunshots.

Director Tim Fehlbaum’s film is a masterclass in tension, confining nearly all its action to the ABC control room. The film follows ABC Sports President Roone Arledge (Peter Sarsgaard) and control room director Geoff Mason (John Magaro) as they orchestrate a chaotic, high-stakes broadcast. The crew scrambles to gather accurate information, decipher press statements in foreign languages, and creatively overcome obstacles – such as smuggling tape into restricted areas by dressing a staffer as an athlete.The pre-digital world of 1972 makes the scramble even more palpable. Phones are wired to soundboards, walkie-talkies are held up to microphones, and graphics are created by hand. Every scene captures the raw collaboration and innovation needed to report the unthinkable. Fehlbaum’s direction keeps you in the moment, making it easy to feel the pressure as the team races to inform a global audience.

The film’s exploration of journalistic ethics adds a deeper layer. What happens when the news itself becomes part of the story? In one chilling moment, the ABC team realizes the terrorists may be watching their coverage – including footage of police preparing to storm the building. The film also grapples with other moral dilemmas: the race to break exclusives, the risk of spreading unverified rumors, and the need to keep advertisers happy while reporting on a tragedy. These ethical questions resonate as powerfully today as they did in 1972.

Sarsgaard and Magaro lead a stellar ensemble cast, striking the perfect balance between command and collaboration. The film also cleverly incorporates archival footage for the TV segments, adding an unsettling authenticity. Meanwhile, Lorenz Dangel’s score pulsates beneath the action like a mounting anxiety attack, amplifying the suspense.

At a tight 95 minutes, September 5 moves like a thriller, keeping viewers on edge even if they already know the outcome. Rather than diving into the politics or long-term ramifications of the Munich hostage crisis, Fehlbaum focuses on the moment itself – when live satellite technology transformed news coverage and brought the world closer together, for better or worse.

While some might wish for deeper commentary on current events or the roots of the Middle East conflict, that’s not what September 5 aims to do. Instead, it’s a gripping portrait of the pressures, possibilities, and pitfalls of breaking news. It reminds us of the human ingenuity and ethical tightropes that shape journalism when the whole world is watching.

If you’re a fan of newsroom dramas, September 5 deserves a spot on your watchlist. Thrilling, thought-provoking, and relentlessly paced, it’s a worthy addition to the canon of journalism films.